The winners and finalists

 

Community Champion of the Year
Winner: Margaret Owen
She’s a grandmother who helped breathe new life into a rundown area of the city and turn it into a source of pride for families. Eighteen months ago Shipfield – a street off Sprowston Road – was a no-go area with graffiti, vandalism, noise, intimidation and alcohol and drug use at all hours. But the 74-year-old grandmother-of-four, who lives in Shipfield, set up a team to concentrate on the problems, organised regular meetings and estate walkabouts and recorded and monitored what was happening.
Runners-up: John Harding, Gill Waters

 

Community Champion Of the Year: From left, Gill Waters, Margaret Owen and John Harding.

 

Brave Child of the Year
Winners: Amy Conroy and Leah Wilby
Amy is a teenage cancer survivor who has vowed to become a dancer despite having her leg amputated. The 14-year-old has a prosthetic left leg after being diagnosed with cancer. She was nominated by her physiotherapist Sue Flute, who works with her at Colman Hospital.
Leah survived two years of gruelling cancer treatment, after being diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a common cancer in children. She endured two seven-hour operations to have the tumour in her chest and three ribs removed, along with 78 platelet transfusions and 31 blood transfusions.
Runners-up: Naomi Gee, Rosie McMinn and Daniel Whiting

 

Brave Child of the Year: Leah Wilby, Rosie McMinn, Naomi Gee and Amy Conroy.

 

 

Good Neighbour of the Year
Winner: Shane Fox
A Good Samaritan who tried to catch a yob who attacked a pensioner and stole his bag of fish and chips. He came to the aid of Dennis Sillett, 76, who was on his way home after buying the dinner, when he was attacked in the street. Shane was driving by at the time of the attack and got out of his car to chase the youth. He was unable to catch him but he got Mr Sillett back to his feet and drove him home.
Runners-up Betty Culyer

 

Good Neighbour of the Year: Shane Fox and Betty Culyer.

 

Against All Odds
Winner: Charlotte Bower
The teenager put aside her grief over the death of her mother to raise thousands of pounds for charity by organising a variety show. The 18-year-old knew her mother Barbara was dying from terminal breast and liver cancer and wanted to make her happy. Tragically, her mum died three weeks before the event at the age of 49, but still she went ahead with the fundraiser.
Runners-up Steve Hopwood, Brian Matthews

 

Against All Odds: From left, Brian Matthews, Steve Hopwood and Charlotte Bower.

 

Carer of the Year
Winner: Bridget Kirk
A full-time carer who fostered three youngsters, two with Down's Syndrome and one with severe learning disabilities, as well as raising her own two children.
Runners-up Louise Herd, Carole Lincoln

 

 

 

Environment Champion of the Year
Winner: George Beckford
Mr Beckford, of Grove Road, Hethersett, started a volunteer group in 2000 called HEAT (Hethersett Environ-mental Action Team). Under his guidance this team has achieved much to improve many parts of the village. More than 7,000 bulbs have been planted on roadside areas and along the B1172, and tree pruning and site clearing has been carried out.
Runners-up: Ali Clabburn, Robert Raven

 

Environment Champion of the Year: From left, a representative for Robert Raven, Ali Clabburn and Heather Williamson, on behalf of George Beckford.

 

Volunteer of the Year
Winner: Jeanne Reynolds and Peter Simpson
A pair of paramedics whose aim is to ensure every child in Norfolk has the knowledge to save a life. Mr Simpson, 44 and Jeanne Reynolds, 57 set up the Heartstart Medics Norwich project based at her home in Wensum Valley Close, Hellesdon two and a half years ago. Since then they have been busy working in their spare time to train teachers in life support techniques so that these skills can be passed on to children.
Runners-up: Jim Elliott, Sarah Harrison

 

Volunteer of the Year: From left, Peter Simpson, Jeanne Reynolds, Sarah Harrison and Jim Elliott.

 

Inspirational Teacher of the Year
Winner: Doreen Bryan
An inspirational teacher who has been hailed as one in a million, Mrs Bryan, of Field Road, Weston Longville, is head of social care and childcare in education in the sixth form at Costessey High School where she has worked for five years. She was nominated by one of her pupils, Hollie Davies, 19, from Tottington Close, Bowthorpe, who said she had helped her overcome a lot of personal problems and helped her find a job working with autistic adults.
Runners-up: Jane Ashdown, Tracy Melton

 

Inspirational Teacher of the Year: From left, Tracy Melton, Doreen Bryan and Jane Ashdown.

 

Employee of the Year
Winner: Gill Pout
A cancer patient said he would not have lived to see his three grandchildren if it were not for caring nurse Gill Pout. David Cooke, 63, nominated the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital nurse. The stockbroker, from Townsend Road, Eaton Rise, was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. He's now in remission but still needs to go back to the hospital for regular check-ups.
Runners-up: Rob Littlewood, Sue Youngs

 

Employee of the Year: From left, Sue Youngs, Gill Pout and Rob Littlewood.

 

Community Shop of the Year
Winner: A Burrell and Son
This traditional ironmonger’s shop has been selling household essentials for more than 100 years. The Unthank Road shop was nominated by customers and staff who said it was the type of shop where you could still buy in any quantity from just one hinge picture hook or a handful of nails. Many OAPs would be lost without such a shop as they are not able to get into the city for the basic household items they stock.
Runners-up: Londis Store, Tracey’s Newsagents

 

Community Shop of the Year: From left, Tracey Stevens of Tracey’s Newsagents, Londis Store and A Burrell & Son.