Final countdown as shortlist revealed

The results are now in and after receiving over 100 entries from charities, and groups across the county, the nine finalists of the Vantage Toyota Community Drive have been chosen.

The Yorkshire Post teamed up with Vantage Toyota last month as part of a community initiative that will see £6,000 invested in community projects in and around York, Scarborough, and Knaresborough.

Judges have whittled down entries to create a shortlist of the most deserving projects in each area. Members of the public will now be invited to choose which group they think should win the final prizes by voting online.

In Scarborough the shortlist covers three varied projects – Scarborough Bowls Centre, Scalby Toilets Trust and youth motorcycle initiative Mud In Your Blood.

The three projects shortlisted in York include special needs charity Snappy, creative youth project Door84 and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

In the Knaresborough region, the three groups selected are the Forest School, Knaresborough Celtic Junior Football Club and community transport provider the Little Red Bus network.

All the shortlisted projects have submitted impressive proposals detailing how the funds will be spent to make a significant contribution to the local community.

The winning project in each region will be announced at a dedicated event held at Vantage Toyota and will feature in the Yorkshire Post next month.

Vantage marketing manager, Louise Mcloughlin, said: “As a local dealer group we have very close relationships with our community and this is a chance for us to give something back to help good causes and local families. The competition has been a great success so far and we’ve received a good mix of different entries from across North Yorkshire.

“It was a difficult job to get down to a shortlist of just three projects in each area, but now the judges’ job is done and it’s over to you to decide the final winners so get voting. Certainly every project would make a worthy winner and being shortlisted is itself an achievement to be proud of.”

The Vantage Toyota Community Drive recognises the important contributions that many groups make to improve their local areas. It also aims to help groups that are struggling to secure funding amidst Government spending cuts.

Vantage Toyota was founded in 2003 and is based in Knaresborough.

For more information and to vote, visit the Vantage Toyota website at: www.vantage.toyota.co.uk/communitydrive. The closing date for the public vote is October 9.