Diversity Heroes shortlisted for UK’s Largest Diversity Awards.

Headline sponsors Microsoft, and media partners Able Magazine are just two of the brands supporting a sky fall of diversity talent – positive role models, community organisations and businesses from the LGBT, ethnic minority, age, gender, religion and disability communities.

Over 21,000 nominations and votes were received this year paying tribute to inspirational individuals and groups nationwide that have dedicated their lives to enhancing the equality agenda.

The full list of shortlisted nominees are as follows:

Positive Role Model Age: Tunde Okewale, Mohammed Zafran, Ben Ashcroft, Melrose G Diack MBE, Heidi-Victoria Ireland

Positive Role Model Disability: Sarah Chapman, Olley Edwards, Adam Pearson, Chelsey Jay Reynolds, Susanne Rees

Positive Role Model Gender: Simone Bresi-Ando, Charmaine Hayden, Vanessa Vallely, Karen Ingala Smith, Nimco Ali

Positive Role Model LGBT: Jack Monroe, Martha Bishop, Sonny Van Eden, Sue Beatson, Aderonke Apata

Positive Role Model Race, Faith, Religion: Jide Macaulay, Sonia Meggie, Tanweer Ikram, Jasvir Singh, Kay Oldroyd

Community Organisation Age: BIGKID Foundation, Inspire TCI, North Devon All Starz, Allsorts Youth Project, Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association

Community Organisation Disability: Shabang Theatre, I am Me Scotland, Fightback, 4UP, Cafe JJ

Community Organisation Gender: RISE, Let Toys Be Toys, Open Clasp Theatre Company, Working with Men, Rape Crisis England & Wales

Community Organisation LGBT: London Friend, Broken Rainbow, Intercom Trust, The Rainbow Project, Proud2Be

Community Organisation Race, Faith, Religion: Muslim Jewish Forum, Roma Community Care, African Caribbean Leukaemia Foundation, Unity 101 Community Radio, Naz Legacy Foundation

Community Organisation Multi-Strand: Give ’em Hope Campaign, Diverse City, Diversity House Swale, Father’s Against Violence, Writing on the Wall

Entrepreneur of Excellence: Naomi Bennett-Hall, Alis Rowe, Rioch Edwards-Brown, Jenny Garrett, Ketan Makwana

Diverse Company: Gateway Housing, Centro, St Giles Trust, PwC, Oxfam, Goldsmith’s University, Great Places Housing, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Lifetime Achiever: Tanye Raabe, Stephen Sutton, Pauline Long, Dilys Price OBE, Sue Sanders

The Hurlingham Club, London will play host to the prestigious black-tie event on September 26th, to honour the outstanding achievements of grass root communities nationwide.

Lloyds Banking group, which operates the UK’s largest retail bank, international accountants PwC, media giants Sky and Secret Service MI5 will be amongst sponsors backing the Best of British diversity at the UK’s Largest Diversity Awards.

TV personality Brian Dowling will return to host the ceremony alongside CBeebies presenter Cerrie Burnell. He said: ‘I am so excited! I have witnessed the awards go from strength to strength and I am always truly taken back by the humbling and uplifting stories of all the nominees and award winners.’

The awards have gained a mass of celebrity support from the likes of Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed and singing sensation Misha B.

Bafta award winning actor, Adam Deacon added his support ‘The National Diversity Awards exceed in bringing people from all walks of life together. Their ability to highlight positive role models and community organisations from underrepresented backgrounds is so necessary in the fight for social justice’.

Paralympic gold medallist Giles Long MBE also commented, ‘As the country becomes ever more diverse it is important that difference is recognised, celebrated and embraced as the excitingly positive force for change that it is’.

Face Equality Campaigner, James Partridge OBE, ground breaking entrepreneur Jessica Huie and Grassroots breakaway group Birmingham LGBT were amongst last year’s Winners.

Paul Sesay, founder of the NDA’s said; ‘The quality and quantity of nominees this year has been exceptional. I can’t express how tough it was for our judges to decide the shortlist, and I would like to congratulate everyone on their success and wish all shortlisted nominees the very best of luck!’.

The National Diversity Awards rewards selfless individuals and groups for their phenomenal contribution to creating a more inclusive society.  The winners will be announced at The National Diversity Awards 2014.