Local Heroes 2008 - Categories

Community Champion of the Year
- sponsored by East of England Co-op

Do you know someone who is always at the heart of your community?

Last year’s winner was Margaret Owen, a 74 year old grandmother who helped breathe new life into a run down area of the city and turn it into a source of pride for local families.

Richard Samson, Chief Executive for the East of England Co-operative Society said:  “As the largest community retailer in the region we are delighted to sponsor the Local Heroes' Community Champion Award.  This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and reward the efforts and achievements of local people who are an inspiration to others."

www.eastofengland.coop

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Brave Child of the Year
- sponsored by Bernard Matthews

This category recognises a youngster who has astonished everyone with their bravery or fought adversity and come up trumps. This winner will also receive the Will Tweedy Memorial Award, which is in its second year. Will was a 2005 winner of the Brave Child award who faced devastating illnesses yet always kept his love of life and found time to help others.

We had two winners in 2007 - Amy Conroy who has survived cancer and vowed to become a dancer despite having a prosthetic leg, and Leah Wilby, who endured two years of gruelling cancer treatment for neuroblastoma.

This category is sponsored by Bernard Matthews and Lorna Cousins, Marketing Communications Manager, says ‘As a company, we strive to make a real difference to the lives of young people in our community; supporting educational and social development and championing their achievements.
It is therefore a real privilege to be sponsoring this award, which gives us the unique chance to say ‘thank you’ to the amazing children in our area who have shown exceptional courage in the face of challenging circumstances. 
Each nomination for this category deserves special praise and recognition from all of us.’

www.bernardmatthews.com

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Good Neighbour of the Year
- sponsored by BBC Radio Norfolk

A special neighbour always willing to lend a hand or offer a kind word of support.  Last year’s winner was Shane Fox who came to the aid of pensioner, Dennis Sillett who was attacked on his way home. Shane was driving by at the time and stopped to pursue the attacker and ensure Dennis got home safely.

BBC Radio Norfolk are once again sponsoring this award, and it will be presented on the night by Roy Waller who says "This is a unique experience for the unsung heroes to become stars for the day. These people are much loved for the work they do and this event gives us the chance to recognise their value in providing a service that would usually go unnoticed.  Not everyone can be a winner and credit must go to the finalists."
www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk

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Against All Odds
- voted for by the readers of the Evening News

Someone who deserves to be recognised for their selfless actions overcoming adversity. Charlotte Bower was the winner of last year’s award. Charlotte overcame her grief at the death of her mother to raise thousands of pounds for charity by organising a variety show. Her mother tragically died from breast and liver cancer just three weeks before the event.
The winner of this award will be voted for by the readers of the Evening News – readers will be able to select their winner from the category finalists and vote online or by text from after the nominations close.

James Foster, Evening News editor, said: ''The Evening News Local Heroes Awards are enormously popular with our readers and have become something of an institution in Norwich. As one of the most moving and inspiring categories it seemed right to us that it should be the people of Norwich who decide this year's Against All Odds winner. Whoever wins, we know from previous years that all the shortlisted people will have amazing stories to tell - it would be an incredibly difficult job to select a winner and a readers' vote is the ideal way to arrive at a decision.''

www.eveningnews24.co.uk

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Carer of the Year

- sponsored by Norfolk County Council

Someone who deserves to be recognised for their selfless commitment. Our 2007 winner was Bridget Kirk who fostered three youngsters, two with Down’s Syndrome and one with severe learning disabilities, as well as raising her own two children.

Harold Bodmer, Director of Adult Social Services said: "We are delighted to be sponsoring the Carer of the Year Award. Carers are often the unsung heroes and it is important that we recognise the valuable contribution they make to Norfolk in terms of support for those who need it most, and by providing a service free of charge that otherwise would have to be funded by us all."

www.norfolk.gov.uk/adultsocialservices

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Environment Champion of the Year
- sponsored by Norwich & Peterborough Building Society

Someone who helps the environment, whether in their own backyard or the wider community. Last year’s winner was George Beckford  who started HEAT (Hethersett Environmental Action Team) in 2000. Under his guidance the team have achieved much to improve many parts of the village including bulb planting, tree pruning and site clearance.

Sarah Birmingham, regional sales and service manager at Norwich and Peterborough Building Society (N&P), said: "As a regional, mutual building society, we have always been passionate about getting involved and supporting our local community, and we are delighted to be a sponsor of the Local Hero Awards this year. N&P became a carbon neutral business on 1st January 2007, and we have been offering green mortgages for the last ten years, so the 'Environment Champion of the Year' award was the obvious choice for us.  We're looking forward to seeing the nominations and eventual winner for our category, and would encourage people to nominate friends, family and colleagues who are always helping the environment, whether at home or at work, or both”
www.npbs.co.uk 

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Volunteer of the Year

- sponsored by Kingsmill Eastern Region Bakery

A member of the community who selflessly gives up their own time to help others. In 2007, paramedics Jeanne Reynolds and Peter Simpson won this award for setting up the Heartstart Medics Norwich Project. This dedicated pair spend their spare time training teachers in life support techniques so that these skills can be passed on to enable every child in Norwich to have the knowledge to save a life.

Commenting on the Norwich Evening News Local Heroes Awards, Mick Lythgoe, General Manager at the Allied Bakeries Eastern Region Bakery said, "As the local Kingsmill bakery in Norwich, we are extremely proud to be sponsoring the "Norwich Evening News Local Heroes Volunteer of the Year" category. It really takes a special person to give up their time and effort to help others and all of the nominees deserve special praise for their work over the last year. From all of us at Kingsmill, we would like to express our thanks to all those involved, whether they have nominated an entrant, are up for an award, have organised the event or have supported this worthwhile cause in our local community."

http://www.kingsmillbread.com/

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Inspirational Teacher of the Year
- sponsored by Norfolk County Council

A teacher who has provided unparalleled help and support to their students. Doreen Bryan was hailed as one in a million in 2007 by one of her pupils at Costessey High School. Doreen is head of social care and childcare in education  and helped her pupil overcome personal problems and find a job working with autistic adults.

Lisa Christensen, Director of Children's Services said: "Inspirational teachers transform lives, open up new horizons and help shape futures. They're people we remember for the rest of our lives. We are honoured to sponsor this award which gives members of this fantastic profession the recognition and thanks they deserve."

www.norfolk.gov.uk/childrensservices

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Employee of the Year
- sponsored by Jobs24

Someone who is considered the rock of your workplace, a character who makes it easier for everyone to get up for work in the morning. Last year’s winner was Gill Pout who is a nurse at Norwich University Hospital. She was nominated by a cancer patient who said he would not have lived to see his grandchildren had it not been for the excellent care he has received from Gill.

eveningnews24.jobs24.co.uk

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Community Shop of the Year
- sponsored by The Mall

Is there a shop in your neighbourhood that everyone knows and loves and which is the focal point for the community. A Burrell and Son’s traditional ironmongers shop won last year, they have been selling household essentials for over 100 years. The Unthank Road shop was nominated by customers and staff for the excellent local range and service it has been providing for so many years.

Deanna Auker, marketing manager at The Mall Norwich says:
“As Norwich’s community shopping mall, we are delighted to sponsor the Community Shop of the Year category for the Evening News Local Heroes Awards 2008.
These local independent stores form a key part of Norwich’s retail offering, often providing a varied range of services and acting as a real hub for the community.
In many cases they are also a valuable resource for the elderly and less mobile in their vicinity and provide excellent levels of customer service in order to support those living nearby.
We would like to wish all of those shops who have entered the very best of luck!”
/www.themall.co.uk/my-mall/norwich/

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