1. Key Dates

 

• Nominations Open: 1st December at 6pm GMT

• Nominations Close: 24th December at 11:59pm GMT.

• Finalists Announced: 7th January at 12pm GMT.

• Public Voting Opens: Shortly following the finalist announcement.

• Public Voting closes: 2nd of February at 11:59PM GMT 

 

2. Eligibility & Categories

 

To ensure fairness and clarity, the following definitions apply to all entries:

Individual Categories

• Adults: Nominees must be aged 18 and over.

• Kids: Nominees must be aged 17 and under.

• Geographic Eligibility: Nominees should be resident in or have a demonstrable connection to the North West region.

Business & Organisation Entries

This category is open to commercial businesses, non-profits, community groups, and professional individuals. To be eligible, the entry must fit at least one of the following criteria and the geographic eligibility:

• Help: Places, organisations, or people that actively provide help, support, or resources to solo parents.

• Advocate: Places, organisations, or people that champion the rights and wellbeing of solo parents.

• Owned by Solo Parents: Businesses or organisations that are founded, owned, or led by a solo parent.

• Geographic Eligibility: Nominees should be resident in or have a demonstrable connection to the North West region.

 

3. Nomination Rules

 

• Self-Nomination: You are permitted to nominate yourself if you believe your achievements warrant recognition.

• Submission Requirements:

  • Reason for Nomination: Every nomination must include a clear, written reason detailing why the individual deserves the award.

  • Contact Information: You must provide valid contact details for both the nominee and the nominator. This is required to verify the nomination and contact finalists.

• Verification: Solo Parents United CIC reserves the right to verify the validity of any nomination. If a nominee’s contributions cannot be verified, the nomination may be withdrawn.

 

4. Selection Process & Voting

 

The path to winning an SPU Award consists of two distinct stages:

Stage 1: Selection of Finalists

• After nominations close on December 24th, a panel of independent judges will review all valid entries.

• The judges will select the Finalists for each award category based on the strength of the nomination and the verified achievements.

Stage 2: Determining the Winners

• Finalists will be announced at mid-day on January 7th.

• Public Vote: A public vote will commence shortly after the announcement.

• Weighted Scoring: The final winners will be determined by a split voting system:

  • 50% of the score is determined by the Public Vote.

  • 50% of the score is determined by the Judges.

• The combination of these two scores will decide the winner.

 

5. General Terms

 

• Judges' Decision: All decisions made by the judging panel regarding finalists and the allocation of their 50% vote share are final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding these decisions.

• Privacy: Contact details provided during the nomination process will be used solely for the administration of the awards and will be handled in accordance with Solo Parents United CIC’s data protection policies.