Giving a little can still go a long way in Bermuda -- especially when lending a hand to visitors.

The Visitor Industry Partnership (VIP) in conjunction with the Hospitality Professionals Association (HPA) have organised the Bermuda Sunshine Award -- recognition for residents who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in the eyes of visitors to the Island.

Members of the public are nominated and a committee made up of people from both organisations choose an overall winner.

The latest winner of the Bermuda Sunshine Award, bus driver Edmund Phillips, was nominated after helping a couple who had missed their stop.

"I didn't know about the Sunshine Award and I didn't know who had nominated me. I was really shocked,'' Mr. Phillips said.

He added: "I have always thought that it was good to help other people -- I really didn't think it was a big thing what I did because that is the way I am. But then, after I read the letter sent to me by VIP, I realised I had really made the visitor's stay even better.

"My goal is to help others in any way I can. It is something that is just in me. I believe that one good turn deserves another but I don't do things to get something back. If I'm in a position to help, I do.'' Mr. Phillips said he was glad there was such an award because "it makes you feel what you are doing is worthwhile.'' In a letter to the VIP, the couple who nominated Mr. Phillips wrote: "It was our first day and we missed our stop and went all the way to the Marriott. Mr. Phillips didn't just let us off but instead returned us to our stop on Sayle Road.'' VIP administrator Suzanne DeCouto said awardees receive a 14 caret gold sunshine pin from the Minister of Tourism during a one-on-one luncheon and they get the advantage of being the overall winner announced in March.

She said: "Visitors are asked to nominate a person(s) that have gone out of their way to make their stay brighter. We select four winners a year and from these four winners an overall winner.'' Explaining how the programme came about, Mrs. DeCouto said: "The HPA and VIP needed to do things for people who do a good job, who go out of their way. Edmund picked up lost visitors and took them back to where they needed to go. The first awardee, Tamara DeSilva, found two visitors who had fallen off their bike. She took them to the hospital, waited for them, took them back to their hotel and checked on them the next day.

"These are people who go out of their way -- above and beyond the call of duty.'' Mrs. DeCouto added that there are many people in the community who have done good things but don't want the recognition -- they do it out of the kindness of their heart.

"We thought this programme would be a good avenue for a visitor to tell Bermuda about these people and it also gives the resident an opportunity to shine.

"People are recognised for their hard work and what they are doing. We send a letter to each nominee saying why they were nominated and by whom and we confirm to the visitor that we received their nomination and advised the nominee.'' She said there is a committee between the HPA and VIP and they choose the awardee. Last quarter there were 134 nominees.

Asked whether these may be the last of Bermuda's friendly people, Mrs. DeCouto said: "I think friendliness has always been there in the community, but a lot of people are looking at the negative publicity in tourism before they look at the positive.

"There are people who do good deeds. Mr. Phillips was nominated twice this quarter and has been nominated before.'' She added: "The good thing is that a lot of bus drivers, hotel people, the man in the street are nominated. It is a wide variety of people, people who have picked up people to drop them off -- taxi drivers have also been nominated. And then there are the people who visitors want to nominate but can not remember their names, only a description.

"There was one old lady that fell down on Burnaby Hill and a man picked her up and took her to the hospital but she didn't know who he was. Another unknown man picked up a couple who had missed the bus and if it wasn't for him they would have missed their cruise which was getting ready to depart.'' Mrs.

DeCouto also said that Bermuda's children have also been nominated including some of those that ride the bus or work in guest houses.

"It is amazing what happens when you are nice to a visitor. One person nominated did their good deed eight years ago.

"We also have to remember that what comes around goes around. The visitors just eat this programme up along with the hospitality they receive from residents.'' Some of the gifts the four winners receive are is a two-night stay at either The Reefs, Newstead, Harmony Hall or Pink Beach. They will be presented with a Bermuda Sunshine Award 14 carat gold pin by the Minister of Tourism during a one-on-one luncheon.

The overall winner wins all the above plus a chance to bring two of their closest friends or relatives on vacation to Bermuda with a four night stay at Sonesta Beach Hotel. Airfare provided by American Airlines, a trophy for the year.

The conditions for such an award are that nominees must be residents of the Island. They should have performed something that has made the visitor's stay brighter.

Visitors can nominate more than one resident, and each resident can be nominated by more than one visitor.

Winners are awarded quarterly. An overall winner will be chosen from these quarterly winners, at the end of March.

Airline tickets valid from any American Airline destination in the United States to Bermuda. Other restrictions apply.