The first ever Oxford Climate Awards will be held this week with a prestigious black-tie event. 

The nominations in the 12 categories will be eagerly awaiting the award ceremony on Thursday, October 17 at Oxford Town Hall. 

Across multiple categories the awards want to discover those incredible people who go above and beyond and aim to honour exemplary efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect natural ecosystems and promote sustainable practises.

The event will be hosted by Shaun Williamson, best known for playing Barry in EastEnders. 

The 12 award categories for the Oxford Climate Awards are: sustainable media business of the year, sustainable small business of the year, innovation on climate action, sustainable primary school of the year, sustainable secondary school of the year, sustainable further education school/college of the year, biodiversity and ecology, green building and design, climate community group, green transport, youth climate action champion and climate action champion. 

READ MORE: School near Oxford University wins School of the Year award

Oxford Climate Awards (Image: Newsquest) Oxford Mail editor Andrew Colley, who is also one of the judges for the awards, said: “The awards aim to honour exemplary efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect natural ecosystems and promote sustainable practises.

“The importance of the Oxford Climate Action Awards lies in their potential to inspire and mobilise the community.

“Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a pressing reality affecting lives and livelihoods.

“These awards serve as a powerful reminder that each one of us can make a positive impact on our environment.

“By acknowledging and celebrating the dedicated environmental stewards within the Oxfordshire community, the awards not only foster a sense of collective responsibility but also provide a platform for sharing innovative solutions and best practises.”

Mr Williamson said: "I am delighted to be coming back to Oxford, one of my favourite cities in the entire world, to host the Oxford Climate Awards at Oxford Town Hall.

"We'll be celebrating all the great things that have happened in Oxford and the surrounding area regarding sustainability, biodiversity, climate change and green things in general.

"I can't wait to come back to your beautiful city to host this."

The event is being sponsored by Oxfordshire County Council alongside local businesses such as Unipart and BMW Group. 

Tickets are available to purchase for family, friends and colleagues of our award finalists and sponsors.

If you would like to attend on the evening, please register an interest with event manager Emma Samways on emma.samways@newsquest.co.uk.