RESIDENTS of York who have been pleasantly treated in shops or while using services in the city can reward those staff in the York Community Pride Awards.

This is the eighth time The Press has run the awards, in connection with City of York Council and several local businesses, and nominations have already started to flood in.

This year, York-based company Aviva will sponsor the Service With A Smile category, which was won last year by the staff of Colliergate store Barnitts.

John Lister, finance director at Aviva UK Life, said: “York Community Pride Awards are a great way of recognising the unsung heroes of York who make a real difference to our city, on a daily basis.

“As a major employer in the area, Aviva is fully committed to supporting the local community. We’re proud to be sponsoring the Awards again in 2011, in particular the Service With A Smile category, which is all about recognising those who have real energy, enthusiasm and commitment to their work.”

Nominations can be made online before Friday, July 22.

A supporting statement of no more than two sides of A4 should be included with each nomination, and may include a photograph, which we are unable to return.

All nominees must live or be based in the City of York Council tax area, and the winners will be invited to the awards ceremony at York Racecourse in October.