About the awards

There are 10 St David Awards, the first 9 of which are nominated for by the public. It is important to make sure that the person or group you are nominating are nominated in the most appropriate category - the definitions below will help you to decide.

• Bravery: Awarded to those who have demonstrated remarkable courageous behaviour or character; doing what is right in difficult situations. This may entail simple fearlessness or physical bravery and involves acting in spite of possible harm to one’s self.

• Business: Awarded to those who have achieved remarkable success in business. This may include the creation of meaningful employment for oneself and others.

• Community Spirit: Intended for people in Wales who have worked to improve their local community or communities across Wales on an ongoing basis.

• Critical Worker (Key Worker): For an individual, team or group in Wales working in health and social care, the third sector, the emergency services, local government, education or childcare who have gone the extra mile to provide an exceptional service to the people of Wales. See definition of critical worker.

• Culture: For those in, or from Wales who have excelled in the arts and other forms of cultural achievement, expressed in any art form, language or medium. This can include, but is not limited to, those who may have succeeded in putting Wales on the world stage.

• Environment Champion: Awarded to a person or group who have made an outstanding contribution to improving their environment, either locally, Wales-wide or internationally.

• Innovation, Science and Technology: Intended for those who have developed techniques or solutions that meet new requirements and who have provided effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas that are available to society at large.

• Sport: For an individual, team or group in Wales who have achieved or helped achieve excellence in the field of sport on a national or international level.

• Young Person: This award will be given to an exceptional and inspirational young person or group of up to 19 years of age in any field in Wales.

• First Minister's Special Award: The personal gift of the First Minister – you cannot nominate for it directly. It could reflect collective as well as individual achievement. The recipient may be selected from one of the other award winners or may be selected independently of them.

The finalists and winners are selected by the Advisory Committee. The committee is appointed by the First Minister of Wales.

Who can be nomimated?

• Nominees don’t have to be UK citizens or live in Wales, but must have a meaningful link to Wales.
• You can nominate friends, members of your family, colleagues or even a public figure.
• Nominees in all categories must be at least 16 years old, with exception of nominees in the Young Person category, who can be any age and will be considered up to, and including the age of 19.
• Groups of people, teams or companies are eligible for an award as well as individuals (a lead contact name will need to be identified).
• A nominee can be re-nominated if they have achieved further success since their previous nomination.
• Awards will not be granted posthumously.

Who can nominate?

• Anyone can nominate.
• Self-nominations are accepted.
• The person nominating remains anonymous, unless they wish to be made known to their nominee (if successful).

The easiest way to nominate for St David Awards 2025 is via our online form. You can save your progress and submit once you’re happy. You will get an automatic email receipt after you’ve completed the form.

Or, you can download a pdf version of the form and send it back to us via email or post. Address details are provided on the form.

After you have submitted your nomination, you can also submit letters of support from people or organisations who are familiar with their achievements, though this is not essential. Download a template if you need tips on what type of information to include.

Letters of support should be clearly marked with the name of your nominee and the award category and sent to stdavidawards@gov.wales or St David Awards Nominations 2025, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.

Supporting letters must reach us by the deadline – Midnight 17 October 2024.

• Even if the person you are nominating is well-known, you must write down what it is they do and what they have achieved. Don't assume that those involved in the judging process will already know.
• Give good examples and explain how your nominee has achieved success. Saying “John Smith raised a lot of money for the charity” will not be enough. Try “John Smith organised a charity 5k run in the village and got the support of well-known local sponsors. His efforts raised £5,000 for the charity”.
• Give as many facts that you’re aware of or can find online. Feel free to use bulletpointed lists as opposed to full sentences if you are nearing the maximum word count.

2024 Awards

• 19 October 2023 – nominations for 2024 awards close
• 22 February 2024 – 2024 finalists announced
• 11 April 2024 – St David Awards ceremony

2025 Awards

• 17 October 2024 – nominations for 2025 awards close

All finalists in each of the first 9 categories are selected by the St David Awards Advisory Committee.

The committee is a group of independent senior figures in public life in Wales and/or previous award winners or finalists, who will meet in December to discuss the nominees. The committee will then put forward a shortlist of 3 in each category.

Each category winner is chosen by the First Minister.

Each year, the successful nominees are contacted in late December to early January and are invited to the finalist announcement in February where the First Minister of Wales publicly reveals the finalists.

Finalists are filmed and interviewed between January – March to produce short films detailing their achievements.

All finalists are invited to the awards ceremony in March.

All finalists will receive a St David Awards certificate and a St David Awards trophy, designed and made by a leading Welsh artist.