It gives me great pride to announce this year’s nominations & winner of my 2018 Wansbeck Local Heroes Award!

Thank you to the 3000 local residents who took part in nominating and voting for our many excellent nominees, who all do a phenomenal job in our communities, whether it be charity fundraising, campaigning or helping make the Wansbeck area an even better place to live.

Well done to Ross Thompson (pictured below) who is our 2018 overall winner. Ross does amazing work in the local area, raising funds to tackle homelessness and even dresses as Santa Claus at Christmas (explains the beard!) to do home visits to families struggling at this time of year. Ross received his award and a bottle of House of Commons Whiskey.

Here is the full list of nominees who all received a certificate at today’s ceremony at the Morpeth Town Hall, thank you all for the sterling work you continue to do all year round. Well done!

Winner: Ross Thompson (Community support and fundraising for Homelessness Charities)

Runner-up: Lindsay Freeman (Charitable fundraising)

Runner-up: Wansbeck Valley Foodbank (Supporting local residents)

Sophie Robinson (LGBT+ Campaigning and fundraising)

Lisa Breeze and Team Susie (Cancer research fundraising)

Real Deal Plus (Kath & Davy Fawcus’ Charitable group supporting vulnerable people)

Al Vaziri (Royal British Legion fundraising and community support)

Ruhi Aktar (Fundraising and volunteering for refugee support)

Buzz Learning (Additional needs education support)

Donna Swan from Calmer Therapy (Work with additional needs families)

Hollie Scott Cape of Red Box Project (Volunteer Coordinator fighting Period Poverty)

Penni Blythe of Emily Inspires (Women’s rights and local history volunteering)

Koast Radio (Community radio station for Wansbeck area)

Lyn Horton of Leading Link (Helping young people and based in Bedlington)

Pauline Thompson of Alligator Klub (Volunteers in the local community and additional needs help)

Keith Scantlebury of Burnside Residents Association (Local community & residents support)

Carol Brown from Heart of the Hirst (Support for residents of the Hirst in Ashington)

Richard Martin of Newbiggin Life Boat (Long record of fundraising & voluntary work for Life Boats)

Barbara Ross (Community Volunteering, Morpeth Flower Clock and Fundraising)

Elizabethan Hall at Newbiggin

Karon Cook (Campaigner and Fundraiser for Disability rights)

Alan Bell of Morpeth Flood Action Group (Resident’s support following extensive Morpeth flooding)

Rhona Dunn (Local community volunteering in Morpeth)

Full Circle Food Project (Food based group providing support to local residents)

Doug Phillips of Greater Morpeth Development Trust (Development and future vision for Morpeth)

Kim Bibby-Wilson of Northumbrian Language Society (Local history and heritage preservation)

Matthew Project (Bedlington based local charitable organisation)

Jan Clarke (Community Volunteering and work with young people)

Barnabus’ Youth Project (supporting young people across the Morpeth area)

Cambois Community Association (Local people’s support in Cambois)

Dennis Fancett of SENRUG (Helping rail users across South East Nothumberland)