Visa and Nationwide have launched the 2026 edition of Let’s Celebrate Towns, a national competition recognising communities, high streets and local businesses driving positive change across the UK.
Now in its fourth year, the initiative will award winning towns £20,000 grants to support community-led projects or initiatives designed to give local businesses a boost.
Towns can enter across five categories: High Street Revival, Backing Local Business, Protecting Valued Places, Connected Places and Community Pride.
The competition is open from 17 August to 25 October, with winners set to be announced at an awards ceremony in Parliament on 14 December.
The initiative comes amid renewed government focus on local economic development, with the Pride in Place Programme committing up to £5.8 billion across nearly 300 communities.
Visa and Nationwide said the competition aims to highlight local entrepreneurs, community leaders, businesses and organisations developing initiatives that strengthen their high streets and communities.
Since its launch in 2023, Let’s Celebrate Towns has recognised more than 30 towns across more than a dozen counties, with previous winners including Ramsgate, Gosport, Morecambe, Swanley, Malton and Norton, and Wallsend.
The programme forms part of a wider Towns Fund partnership between Visa and Nationwide, which has supported initiatives including public defibrillators and bleed-control kits, accessibility tools in branches and digital-skills lessons.
The competition is being supported by the British Retail Consortium, with entries open to communities across the UK.