The awards, which are organised by service users and residents, with support from the Cygnet Events Team, celebrate and recognise the service user projects that have made a difference in mental health, autism and learning disability services nationwide.
To submit a nomination, please complete the online nomination form by visiting the link below. The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, 26th June 2026.
Nomination Top Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
Categories for 2026
- Outstanding Leadership Award
For the trailblazers and quiet influencers. This award recognises groups or individuals who have used their lived experience to drive projects forward, inspire others, and lead the way for change, whether in their service or on a national level. - Celebrating Diversity Award
Recognising individuals or group projects that are working to not only spread awareness and encourage acceptance, but to strive for all of our differences to be celebrated. These projects may focus on diversity of any kind, including cultural, neurodiversity, gender identity and more. - Hope and Positivity Award
This award is for those who consistently lift others up, proving that even the smallest actions can ripple out to create a culture of hope and positivity. They recognise the power of small actions, making a big difference. - Individual Progress Award
This award celebrates an individual with lived experience who has made remarkable progress on their personal journey. It’s about recognising the strength it takes to keep going, the small steps that lead to big change. - Community and Collaboration Award
This award is for collaborative projects that have bridged the gap between services, families, and communities through exceptional teamwork and outreach. - Social Care Star Award
This category recognises individuals, groups, or services, within a social care setting, who have shown exceptional commitment to co-production, working in equal partnership with people who have lived experience to shape meaningful involvement. - Mark Britton Service User Choice Award
Awarded on the day. Guests will have the opportunity to vote for a runner up in each category, leaving six projects for a final vote at the end of the day. The award is named in memory of Mark Britton, to commemorate the life of an individual who was key to the awards in previous years and who sadly passed away in July 2019.
These awards celebrate true partnership; therefore, every nomination must be co-produced with service users or residents. Projects delivered solely by staff will not be eligible.
“The awards are amazing, from start to finish. I’ve just been glued to the stage. Watching all the different people and the different events and things that they have done kind of inspires me. And it has given me ideas that I would like to take back.”Events team member
Key Dates
Finalists will be invited to our exclusive awards ceremony taking place on Wednesday 23rd September 2026. Please keep an eye out for venue announcements coming soon.
Deadline for nominations is Friday 26th June.
Judging will take place in Early July.
Finalists will be notified by Friday 17th July.
Further information
We encourage as many services as possible to get involved in the Awards, so please do share this information with service users, residents, those with lived experience and colleagues.
If you have any questions about nominating or the awards in general, please contact us on [email protected]