AN event celebrating Bournemouth’s ‘Great Neighbourhoods’ is being planned following the success of a similar initiative in Poole.

A public campaign is running this month to encourage nominations of groups and businesses that go the extra mile to support Bournemouth’s residents and environment.

In 2016, 150 people from across Poole came together to celebrate the hundreds of thousands of hours of community activity that individuals give to their town.

The event, called the Poole Conversation, also recognised that social isolation and loneliness was a growing challenge in the area, not just in the older generations but across many other sections of society.

Following on from the success of the event, a second Poole Conversation took place the following year.

Now the team behind the Bournemouth Conversation are organising a celebration event in February to promote the town’s nominated projects or activities.

The charity Faithworks Wessex is working with Bournemouth council, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth Council for Voluntary Service, Public Health Dorset, Dorset Police, Prama, and the Department for Work and Pensions to organise the event.

Alistair Doxat-Purser, CEO of Faithworks Wessex, said: “Our aim is to celebrate community action, identify issues to shared challenges and find local solutions together across the community and public, private and voluntary sectors.

“Bournemouth’s communities, business and residents’ groups, contribute enormously to our town, helping out others, and improving the environment beyond measure.

“Through a public campaign seeking our Great Neighbourhoods during January, we will be inviting nominations of these groups and business to join us for a celebration of their contributions and to ask them, as active citizens, for their views on the priorities for the town as we move into a joint authority.”

Nominations will come under three categories: 1) A street or group of residents acting with care and kindness that make communities connected, friendly and safe

2) A community group or activity transforming spaces, uniting people or challenging stereotypes

3) A business putting something extra back into their community, or supporting local projects

Anyone can submit a nomination and all nominees will be invited to the event. The nomination form is available at bournemouth.gov.uk/bournemouthconversation.

Examples from each category will be showcased at future events and inspire others to build stronger communities.