Nominations have now opened for the 2020 Newcastle Volunteer Service Awards and Novocastrians are encouraged to nominate a special volunteer for recognition.Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon, who delivers the awards, said volunteers had made a huge difference to the Newcastle community during the coronavirus crisis. Despite the many challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown at us, I have been incredibly heartened by the surge in community volunteering efforts to ensure that no one in Newcastle is left feeling isolated and alone, Ms Claydon said. The spontaneous creation of neighbourhood groups and the overnight transformation of local cafes into community kitchens and corner stores has been life-saving for many. Novocastrians demonstrated that, when the going gets really tough, we come together to support each other. Ms Claydon said that nominating an exceptional volunteer only takes ten minutes. If you want to nominate a volunteer for recognition just visit www.sharonclaydon.com/volunteerawards2020 and follow the link to the online nomination form. Nominations close on Friday 7 August 2020. Ms Claydon said that the nominated volunteers would be recognised at a special awards event. Volunteers are the lifeblood of our community, but too often they dont get the recognition they deserve, Ms Claydon said. As always, at the end of the selection process, I will host a presentation ceremony to celebrate the incredible contribution of these dedicated volunteers to our community. While the final shape of this ceremony will necessarily be determined by the health orders of the day, all Award recipients, and those that nominated them, will be invited to participate.