THE Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards are back and the shortlisted finalists have been revealed ahead of a glittering ceremony next week.

The great and the good of Warrington received their special invitations to attend the 9th annual Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards.

The highly anticipated event will take place at The Village Hotel next Thursday evening, April 25 where 12 awards will be presented to the town’s most inspirational people.

From children and teachers to volunteers and community leaders, the awards are all about recognising the fantastic work that is being carried out in our communities – and the shortlisted nominees all appear in a pre-awards supplement in this week’s Warrington Guardian.

The Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards were originally launched back in 2013 as part of our 160th birthday celebrations and this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever.

We were once again inundated with nominations for charity champions, health heroes and good neighbours making the judges’ decision a difficult challenge in all 12 categories.

We wanted to hear about all the positive people living and working at the centre of our community and recognise their hard work, determination and acts of kindness.

Entries were submitted by friends, family, colleagues and neighbours in a bid to highlight the excellent efforts of those whose impact has been felt in schools, hospitals, charities and community organisations across Warrington.

Warrington Guardian editor Richard Duggan said: “The Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards look to highlight the fantastic work carried out in our communities by volunteers, fundraisers and dedicated individuals who go above and beyond for so many of Warrington’s worthwhile causes.

“The awards are always incredibly emotional and extremely humbling and this year’s event will be no exception.

“We were overwhelmed with nominations in all 12 categories and each one was read and considered by our judging panel, who were hugely impressed by the quality of entries.

“This made for some difficult final decisions and choosing the winners from such strong shortlists was extremely challenging.

“Congratulations to all 32 finalists.”

He added: “The support of our sponsors is invaluable to the staging of such a high-profile event in the town, so a huge thank you to everyone involved.”

The shortlisted finalists will attend the ceremony next Thursday with the winners being announced by awards presenter Radio City DJ Leanne Campbell.

There are 12 categories, ten of which have three inspirational shortlisted nominees all hoping to take home an award.

The winners of our Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Warrington Borough Council and Courage Award sponsored by Redwood Bank will be revealed during the evening.

Here are the 10 categories with the shortlisted finalists:

CHILD / TEENAGER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Christeyns

We wanted to honour a youngster who has either battled against the odds to help others, been an outstanding achiever in their studies or extra-curricular activities or put themselves at risk to help someone less fortunate or in danger.

• Violet Smith

• Eimear Slee

• Thomas Long-Moore

JUNIOR FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR

As with the fundraiser of the year category, we wanted to hear about those who have committed to raising money or who gave time to a good cause. But we wanted to give a separate award to honour the work of children or teenagers in Warrington.

• Thomas Burrows

• Harvey Goodman

• Evie McCoy

FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR

We wanted to hear about those who have committed to raising money or who gave time to a good cause. Nominations were welcome for individuals or groups.]

• Lee Kinsey

• Alana Bradshaw

• Steve Hughes

CHARITY OF THE YEAR

We were looking to recognise a Warrington charity that has been committed in its efforts to helping people in the town through its fundraising and tireless community work.

• JUMP

• Warrington VIP

• Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charity

CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY sponsored by Sellafield Ltd

This award is for an individual or organisation in the town that has made a significant contribution to the community.

• Tony Dixon

• Longford Neighbourhood Services Charity

• Kate McCarthy-Booth

EDUCATION HERO OF THE YEAR sponsored by Chester University

This award will recognise those working in schools and colleges across Warrington, from teachers and head teachers to support staff and governors.

• Emma Mills

• Michelle Withnall and Emma Woodall

• Stephen Burke

SPORTSPERSON/SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR sponsored by Jackson Fire

We wanted to hear about the achievements of Warrington’s finest, either in their field of expertise or in furthering sport in the community. Nominations were welcome for both adults and junior achievers.

• Great Sankey High School Year 8 boys football team

• Esme Heavy

• Martyn Leech

NHS / HEALTH HERO OF THE YEAR sponsored by CHEC

We were looking for an unsung hero working or volunteering within a hospital, surgery or health environment who has shown exceptional care or contributed to making someone’s visit or stay more enjoyable.

• Lucy Hyland

• Mike Shaw

• Team Lunar (Home Birth Team) at Warrington Hospital

EVERYDAY HERO AWARD sponsored by Belong

This award recognises those who put others first, keep spirits high with people they meet and make a difference to the lives of those in their neighbourhood or the street they live in through their kindness and compassion.

• Janet Adamson

• Rachel Munn

• John Lewis

TEAM OF THE YEAR

We wanted to celebrate a team that has achieved success by working together. Nominations were received from all walks of life, from schools and businesses to hospital departments and voluntary groups.

• Knox & Son Funeral Directors

• Warrington Man V Fat and

• The Ukrainian Family Hub