AN AWARD-winning Bradford City supporters group is one of the first nominations to have been received in the 2017 Community Stars Awards.

Bangla Bantams was set up more than two years ago with help from the Fans for Diversity campaign fund.

It aims to get people of all ages and faith groups into football through offering subsidised tickets for Bradford City matches.

Its chairman Humayun Islam said: “Bangla Bantams is a very special group as it is more than just a multicultural supporters group but it is a family of people from across the Bradford district.

“A family that feels proud to support Bradford City FC and continues to develop.”

In December the group took the inaugural Fans for Diversity Award at the Football Supporters’ Federation Awards.

The honours are organised by the Telegraph & Argus and Bradford Council to recognise those who make a difference in their local communities.

Unsung heroes can be nominated in the seventh annual awards across eight different categories, and Bangla Bantams has been nominated in the community group section.

Once all the nominations are in, a panel of judges will then sift through them to pull together a shortlist of nominees.

Bradfordians will be asked to vote for those they feel are the most deserving.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held at the Midland Hotel, on Wednesday, December 6, where each category winner will be honoured with the Bradford Medal.

The Community Stars Awards are part of the People Can Make a Difference campaign which aims to recognise the voluntary work already being carried out in the district.

It encourages people to make a difference in a number of ways, such as being neighbourly, through community action or volunteering, as well as raising money for local projects.

The awards are also sponsored by Better Start Bradford which runs schemes in the Bowling, Barkerend, Bradford Moor and Little Horton areas of the city, aiming to give babies and children in those areas a better start in life.

This time the awards are also looking to recognise Bradford’s unsung businesses, large and small, who go above and beyond to make a real difference to the people of the district.

Nominations are being sought in the following categories: Community Group, Fundraiser, Young Active Citizens, Good Neighbour, Volunteer, Community Champion, Business Can Make a Difference Award, and the sponsored award Better Start Bradford Outstanding Contribution to Volunteering.

Nominations should be submitted before September 25 by using the printed form or the online version.