The Dorset Echo has teamed up with Vodafone to invite charities in Portland, Weymouth and Dorchester to apply for their £1,000 Vodafone Community Connection Award.

Vodafone has a retail store in the heart of Weymouth, and the Community Connection Award is Vodafone’s way of “giving something back” to the local community, by helping a charity that has a positive impact in the area.

Dorset Echo readers are being asked to nominate the charity they deem to be the most deserving of the Weymouth store’s £1,000 award. The winning project could be anything from a local soup kitchen that needs money for a new oven to the local scout group who need new uniforms.

Vodafone’s Community Connection Awards launched in 2014, and have already made a difference to more than 60 local communities across the UK.

How to nominate:

Email debbie.hellaby@newsquest.co.uk with ‘Vodafone Community Connection Award’ as the subject line.

• Explain what the money would be used for and why the charity deserves to be chosen

• Please include your name, address and a day-time contact number Emails must be received by 5pm on Monday 5th December 2016 and, following judging by a panel, the winner will be announced the following week.

Qualifying criteria:

• The award must also be for a specific project or purpose, rather than just to cover operating costs

• The award must be stand-alone rather than form any part of a larger contribution or bigger appeal

• Nominees must have a registered charity number and be based in Portland, Weymouth and Dorchester, Dorset

• It cannot be a personal or individual plight, nor a government funded organisation. A judging panel will review all entries received to determine the winning charity. The winning charity and nominator will be required to participate in publicity.

Terms and Conditions: Usual Newsquest terms and conditions apply please visit dorsetecho.co.uk/competitionterms.

Closing date for entries is 5pm on Monday 5th December 2016.