The first joint sports awards for west Suffolk will be held at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, it has been announced.

The West Suffolk Sports Awards, which will be delivered by Abbeycroft Leisure on behalf of St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath councils, will take place on September 28.

The public can still vote on two awards via the Abbeycroft Leisure Facebook page from September 14 – the people’s champion and the people’s youth champion prizes.

According to organisers, the response from the business community in west Suffolk has been “incredible” and many companies in the county have already sponsored awards for next month’s ceremony.

Councillor Andy Drummond and Councillor Joanna Rayner, cabinet members respectively for Forest Heath District Council and St Edmundsbury Borough Council said: “We are delighted that local businesses have come forward with such willing support for the inaugural West Suffolk Sports Awards.

“Their contribution to the event serves to highlight the important role their sponsorship plays in helping all kinds of sporting activities realise their potential.”

Mark Cordell, Chief Executive, Our Bury St Edmunds BID said: “As organisers of the annual Festival of Sport, the BID is absolutely delighted to be a sponsor of these awards, which highlights all the great sporting things that are going on across our communities.

“There are so many unsung heroes in the background dedicating hours of their own time to provide opportunities for local people to participate in organised physical activities and I think it’s great that these efforts are recognised by these awards.”

Gary Atyes, head of commercial development at Abbeycroft Leisure said: “The response from the local business community has been incredible for these brand new joint sports awards, with only a couple of awards available to sponsor and we’re confident it’s going to be a very special evening.”

Headline sponsor Greene King will be joined by partners including Allied Health Professionals Suffolk, Music Sales Ltd, Newprint, Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District, Suffolk Sport, Newmarket Racecourses, Verse Facilities Management and Unison.