Spend an evening at the Tees Valley EDI Awards and you see the region as it really is: a room full of different faces, faiths, languages and life stories, all under one roof, all part of the same place. The communities of Tees Valley are what give the region its character, its energy and its warmth, and the awards exist to celebrate every one of them. This is a short introduction to the diversity we are proud to champion, and an invitation to be part of it.
The many communities of Tees Valley
Across Tees Valley, from Middlesbrough and Stockton to Redcar and Cleveland, Darlington and Hartlepool, generations of people from Black, Asian, Eastern European, Middle Eastern and many other backgrounds have made their home and their mark. They run the corner shops and the restaurants, staff the hospitals and the schools, lead the community groups and the businesses, and volunteer the hours that hold neighbourhoods together. Some families have been here for decades, others have arrived more recently, and together they have shaped a region that is richer for its differences.
Diversity is our strength
It is easy to talk about diversity as a statistic. It is far more powerful to see it as people: the nurse who mentors newcomers to the profession, the shop owner who sponsors the local youth team, the teacher who makes every child feel they belong, the young entrepreneur building something from nothing. The communities of Tees Valley bring different perspectives, skills and traditions, and that mix is not a challenge to be managed. It is one of the region’s greatest assets.
When a community’s contribution is recognised in public, it strengthens the whole region. It builds pride, encourages others to step forward, and reminds everyone that Tees Valley belongs to all of us.
How the EDI Awards celebrate our communities
The Tees Valley EDI Awards, formerly the BME Achievement Awards, have championed the region’s diverse communities since 2010. Across fifteen awards and eight categories, spanning community, youth, business, health, education, the public sector and more, the awards put the spotlight on the people and organisations making Tees Valley fairer and more inclusive. The ceremony brings those communities together in one room for one night, and the connections made there carry on long afterwards. You can see the breadth of what we celebrate in the award categories, and look back at the people who have been honoured on the previous winners page.
More than one night a year
The ceremony is a highlight, but the point of it lasts far longer. When the communities of Tees Valley are celebrated together, businesses meet community groups, mentors meet the young people who need them, and partnerships form that outlast the applause. Local employers see talent they might have missed. Families see role models who share their story. Whole communities gain a set of moments they can point to and say, that is us, and we belong here. That is why the awards are not simply a night out. They are a thread that runs through the year, tying the region’s many communities a little more closely together and reminding everyone that diversity is something to celebrate, not just to count.
Be part of the celebration
Every community has someone worth celebrating. Nominating them is free and takes about ten minutes, and nominations for 2026 are open until 2 October. The awards night takes place on Friday 16 October 2026 at Digital Life, Teesside University.
Read more about the awards, or nominate someone now. The communities of Tees Valley are worth celebrating, and this is how we do it.
