Nominations for #DEHA2027 open 1 February 2027Nominations open 1 February 2027

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#DEHA2027 · Celebrate Excellence

Celebrating Dorset’s ethnic heroes

A five-star awards ceremony and cultural showcase honouring the people, businesses and community leaders from Dorset’s diverse ethnic communities.

  • Saturday 18 September 2027
  • Lighthouse, Poole
Become a 2027 partnerRemind me when nominations open
  • 300–400guests at the last Awards
  • 15award categories
  • 12months of partner promotion
  • 2018celebrating Dorset since

The road to #DEHA2027

From nomination to the stage in six steps

Every winner is nominated by the community, backed by a public vote and verified by an independent jury.

  1. Open nowNow

    Partners join

    Sponsorship packages from £200 to £3,500.

    See packages
  2. 1 Feb – 31 Mar 2027

    Nominations

    Anyone can nominate a hero in one of 15 categories.

    Get a reminder
  3. April 2027

    Shortlisting

    Eligibility checked; finalists announced for each category.

  4. 10 May – 13 Jun 2027

    Public vote

    One verified vote per person, per category.

  5. June – July 2027

    Independent jury

    Judges score every finalist against four criteria.

  6. Sat 18 Sep 2027

    Awards night

    Red carpet, gala dinner, cultural showcase and ceremony.

Two guests in traditional saris on the Red Carpet Experience
The host addressing guests from the lectern as finalists appear on the big screen

About the Awards

Recognising the role models who make Dorset stronger

The Dorset Ethnic Heroes Awards is a pioneering community organisation dedicated to honouring, celebrating and showcasing the positive contributions made to Dorset by its diverse ethnic communities.

Each year we recognise role models across business, community and academia, and celebrate them at a five-star awards ceremony and cultural showcase.

  1. 01ChampioningGreater awareness of Dorset’s ethnic heroes
  2. 02PromotingEquality and diversity in Dorset
  3. 03EnhancingSocial inclusion in Dorset
Our story

Celebrating our communities

AsianCaribbeanAfricanBrazilianIndianPakistaniBangladeshiChineseJapaneseKoreanNigerianGhanaianZimbabweanSouth AfricanBotswananKenyanPolishRomanianGreekTurkishFrenchGermanIrishDutchArabEgyptianPersianLatin AmericanRomaTravellerMixedMultiple heritageAnd beyond

The Awards night

An evening of recognition, culture and celebration

View the gallery
The ballroom at Lighthouse, Poole, full of guests at dinner tables under draped ceiling lights
Gala dinner300–400 guests at Lighthouse, Poole
A guest being interviewed in front of the Red Carpet Experience backdrop
Red Carpet ExperienceThe most photographed moment of the night
Finalists on stage as a category winner is announced on the big screen
Awards ceremony15 winners take the stage
Dancers performing with colourful feathered fans on stage
Cultural showcaseMusic and dance from Dorset’s communities
Guests smiling around a candlelit dinner table
NetworkingCommunity, business and civic leaders

A fair, transparent process

Chosen by the public. Verified by an independent jury.

Jurors declare any conflict of interest before scoring and step aside from categories where they know a nominee. Final results combine the jury’s scores with the public vote.

How judging works

  • Impact

    What measurable or meaningful difference has the nominee made?

  • Contribution

    How significant and sustained is their contribution in Dorset?

  • Inspiration

    Do they motivate others through leadership, service or excellence?

  • Sustainability

    Is their impact likely to endure and keep benefiting communities?

Hall of Fame

Every trophy tells a story

Meet past winners
  • A winner holding a crystal trophy, flanked by two guests
    2019

    Kim West

    Arts & Culture

  • A winner in an embroidered abaya holding her trophy on the red carpet
    2019

    Nawar Yasmin Saadi

    Young Achiever

  • A winner holding a crystal trophy with two guests
    2019

    Rita Elzagali

    Unsung Hero

  • Two guests with a trophy on the red carpet
    2019

    Ricardas Mongela

    Sports Leadership

  • Four guests celebrating with a trophy
    2019

    Dorset Polish Centre

    Community Group

Partner with #DEHA2027

Put your brand in the spotlight

Twelve months of promotion across our website, social media and email, ending at the Awards night itself. A powerful way to show your commitment to diversity and meet Dorset’s community and business leaders.

  • 1 exclusive partner

    Headline

    £3,500

    • Naming rights for the awards year
    • 10 VIP tickets
    • Present up to 3 awards

    Available

  • Up to 3 brands

    Corporate

    £2,500

    • 6 VIP tickets
    • Stage and host recognition
    • Logo on all media backdrops

    3 of 3 available

  • One per category

    Award

    £1,500

    • Present your category’s award
    • 4 VIP tickets
    • Logo on nominee graphics

    15 of 15 available

  • Unlimited

    Red Carpet

    £500

    • Prominent backdrop logo
    • 2 VIP tickets
    • Homepage logo and link

    Available

  • 3 available

    Menu

    £200

    • Branding on menus and tables
    • Red carpet backdrop logo
    • Logo and link on our site

    3 of 3 available

Enquire about a packageDownload the sponsor pack PDF

In-kind Drinks and Centre Piece partnerships also available. All prices are final: DEHA is not VAT-registered.

Saturday 18 September 2027 · Lighthouse, Poole

Be in the room when Dorset’s heroes are crowned

Red Carpet Experience, gala dinner, cultural showcase and the Awards ceremony. VIP tickets include priority arrival, premium seating and a pre-ceremony networking reception.

Register interest in ticketsThe VIP experience

Stay in the loop

Be first to know when nominations open

One email when nominations open, one when voting starts, and the winners on the night. Nothing else.