Help us find the true meaning of 'community spirit'

Perhaps it's the lollipop person who helps you safely cross the road every morning? Or the newsagent whose shop is always open? Maybe it's the local playgroup which has helped you make new friends?

Southend Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) knows that 'community spirit' means different things to different people and we want you to show us what it means to you.

We are launching a new competition simply entitled 'My Southend', where we are inviting residents from across the borough to submit a photograph which sums up what 'community spirit' means to them.

We have teamed up with Olympus KeyMed and Snappy Snaps Southend to offer some fantastic prizes to the winning entries.

There will be an overall winner who will receive a brand new Olympus Pen digital camera worth £450, which has been kindly donated by Olympus Keymed.

There will be six finalists from across the borough who will each receive a voucher for a large 20" x 16" canvas print of their choice, supplied by Snappy Snaps Southend, in Southchurch Road.

The competition will be split into the following six areas of the Southend borough: Southend Central, Leigh, Blenheim, Eastwood, Southchurch, and Shoebury.

The closing date for entries is 31st December 2011 and all entries will be displayed in an exhibition to be held at Southend Central Library in early 2012.

The competition will be judged by representatives from Southend CDRP, Essex Police and Olympus Keymed.

The six winners will be notified in January 2012 and will be invited to attend a presentation evening in February, hosted by The Worshipful the Mayor of Southend-on-Sea, who will present the prize vouchers and announce the overall winner of the competition.

To enter, and for full terms and conditions, please visit http://www.southendcdrp.co.uk/

All photos must be accompanied by a description of what community spirit means to you, in 50 words or less.

Submissions can be sent by email to ChrisEnglish@southend.gov.uk or by post to Chris English, 'My Southend' Competition, Southend Police Station, Victoria Ave, Southend-on-sea, SS2 6ES.

Image files should be no more than 2MB in size, and the file name must be your full name e.g. 'John Smith'.

Please be sure to tell us your name, age (if under 18), address (including post code) and telephone number, also tell us where the photos are taken and details of any people included in the photo, if applicable, and if agreeable to the subject(s).

The six areas of the borough, for the purpose of awarding finalists, are as follows: Southend Central, Leigh, Blenheim, Eastwood, Southchurch, and Shoebury.

By sending us your photo, you are agreeing to let Southend CDRP use it in publications and exhibitions now and potentially in the future, in both printed and electronic form.

Copyright in all images submitted for this competition remains with the respective entrants.

Where an image is used, the photographer will be credited.

All photographs submitted must be the work of the individual who submits them. Entrants must ensure that photographs have been taken with the permission of the subject (where necessary) and do not infringe the copyright of any third party.

Please note that unfortunately we will not be able to return any photographs submitted by hard copy.

The competition is open to anyone who lives or works in the Southend borough and more than one entry per person is permitted, but each will require its own description.

The closing date for entries is 31st December 2011. Entries received after this deadline will not be accepted.