Nominations for the fifth annual Justice in the Community Awards were opened yesterday, inviting members of the public and profession to identify individuals and groups supporting the delivery of justice in Northern Ireland.

The awards are open to individuals or groups working in the voluntary, community and statutory sectors, with a top prize of £1,000 for the winning team or individual to invest in their project.

The Department of Justice said the awards are targeted towards those engaged directly with the community and working alongside the criminal justice system to support the delivery of justice.

Nominees will be judged by Brendan McGuigan, Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice for Northern Ireland; Una McKernan, deputy chief executive of Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action; and Jim Smith, project manager for the Book Reserve and Thinking Cup Café.

Justice Minister David Ford said: “In every part of Northern Ireland there are individuals working on a day and daily basis, often in a voluntary capacity, supporting the delivery of justice.

“Often their efforts go unnoticed and so the Justice in the Community Awards enables us to rightly recognise the work of those individuals.

“I encourage anyone who is aware of an individual or group whose work has made a real difference to our community, to acknowledge that invaluable contribution by nominating them for a Justice in the Community Award.”

The nomination form is available on the NIDirect website.