Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, is calling for local groups to enter the TalkTalk Digital Heroes Awards 2012, a unique competition that recognises and rewards people who are using technology to help their communities. (Photo: www.yellowmelen.co.uk [1])

The awards, now in their fifth year, have provided funding and support to 49 organisations across Britain, including various charities which have used technology to help children and youth, the homeless and people with disabilities.

The awards, run in partnership with the Daily Mirror and charities Citizens Online and Go ON UK, aim to recognise inspirational people who use technology to benefit their local community. Twelve winners, one from each region of the UK – voted for by the public – will each get £5,000 to enhance their digital projects, with one overall winner getting £10,000.

This year there will be an additional category for children and young people, with a top prize of £4,000 for their chosen charity and an Apple MacBook Air.

The awards are now open for submissions at www.talktalk.co.uk/digitalheroes [2] and the deadline for entries is 14th September 2012. The Twitter hashtag for the awards is #digitalheroes.

Commenting on the awards, Mike said:
“Digital technology plays an increasingly important role, helping to improve people’s lives and encourage the growth of local businesses. Digital Heroes is a great initiative which recognises the people who have worked hard to champion digital technology and have made a difference to their community. I hope that projects in Dacorum will be able to benefit from this year’s scheme and I encourage local groups and individuals to enter the competition.”

Martha Lane Fox, UK’s Digital Champion and chair of Go ON UK, also supports the scheme:
“It’s always inspiring to meet digital champions from communities across the UK, I look forward to the Digital Heroes Awards year after year. At Go ON UK we’re pleased to get involved with an initiative that shines a light on the extraordinary things people can achieve through digital technology and I am excited that this year we have a new award that will recognise a young champion under 18 who has helped get people online.”

Dido Harding, Chief Executive of TalkTalk, said:
“Digital Heroes is the only competition of its kind, and each year attracts hundreds of nominations from people across the country. It has already made an enormous difference to dozens of important projects and I am delighted to be supporting it again this year. I look forward to seeing submissions from Hemel Hempstead and learning about the great digital heroes in the area."