HEROES of York - we salute you. The city's unsung community stalwarts were honoured at a glittering ceremony last night in the Ebor Suite at York Racecourse.

The event was the culmination of our York Community Pride campaign to unearth the city's real heroes - those people who go an extra mile to help those around them, and ask for no reward in return.

For our campaign - which is run by City of York Council and the Evening Press - we asked readers to send in nominations for those people they felt deserved recognition in our awards.

The whole spectrum of life in our city was reflected in the entries we were sent, from brave youngsters facing up to serious illness to tireless community volunteers.

Yesterday, the winners of our campaign were handed York Community Pride awards in recognition of their invaluable contribution to our city.

Ranging from young campaigner Ashley Mason to Special Care Baby Unit champion Ellen Willey, and from York "front-line" ambassador Joanne Weller to fundraising stalwart Derrick Lund, they were all stars last night.

But in one of our categories, every finalist was a winner.

As part of our campaign, we wanted to know who you wanted us to name Child Of The Year, a category which was open to youngsters of 12 or under who had overcome adversity or faced up with courage to life's hardships and challenges.

Our three young finalists, Louis Connell, Joseph Powell and Kayleigh Nicholson, all suffer from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and have already undergone extensive chemotherapy treatment.

Last night, all three were named in equal top slot, as Children Of The Year. Colin Hazelden, from BBC East Midlands TV, who introduced the award, said: "All three have much more treatment ahead of them and live life on a day-to-day basis.

"Yet all three are an inspiration to their families, having endured painful, frightening treatment with such bravery and maturity beyond their years.

They spread joy and pleasure wherever they go."

As the children collected their awards, accompanied by their proud parents and grandparents, a shower of coloured balloons cascaded down and around them.

Joseph Powell's father, Ken, said as he collected the award: "Joseph just bounces back every time. Only three weeks ago, he had a tube up his nose. I'd like to thank everyone who's helped him in his five years so far."

On Tuesday ,the Evening Press will be publishing a special York Community Pride supplement, where you can find out more about the winners of our awards and the amazing contributions they have made to the city.

TO complete gruelling cycling challenges is hard - but to do it just over a year after enduring brain surgery is truly remarkable.

But those are just some of the achievements of our Community Pride Person Of The Year, named last night as Professor Andy Smith. Professor Smith, who works at York St John College, had a large brain tumour removed in January last year.

The tumour had been in the part of his brain that controlled movement.

Just over a year later, in April, he came back to the world of sport in style when he ran the gruelling 12.5 mile Guisborough Moors Fell race.

This year he has completed a Tour de France cycle challenge to raise cash for the Meningitis Trust, and has also ridden his bike 939 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats, a trip which took him ten days and 18 hours.

The Community Pride Person Of The Year award was open to those who had made an outstanding contribution to promoting pride in our city or community.

Our judges felt they had found a worthy winner in Professor Smith, who has also had a major input as a volunteer as chairman of Active York.

He has drafted an expression of interest for York to host an Olympic team, and has also established four zones in the city to help plan sport at a local level.

Collecting his award, Professor Smith said: "York is a very special city.

"I don't think I would have rehabilitated anywhere else quite so well."

After the ceremony, Prof Smith added: "I would particularly like to thank Bev, Nicola and Sarah at the Neuroscience Unit at York Hospital, who taught me to walk and ride a bike again.

"York may be proud of me, but not as proud as I am of it."

Ellen devoted to babies

EVENING PRESS efforts to help babies who need special care in York were praised by the city's own "health hero".

Ellen Willey, founder of the York Hospital special care baby unit support group, took time out at the awards ceremony to single out the support the Evening Press had given in helping to establish the group, which has raised vital cash down the years.

Mrs Willey, who was named Health Service Hero at the awards for her work, told the audience at York Racecourse: "In 1984, the Evening Press launched an appeal for a unit for special care babies.

"It was because of the Evening Press and because of Bill Hearld (Evening Press deputy editor) and his team that the special care unit was put on the map and they raised a phenomenal amount of money for us.

"We owe the paper and all the reporters a debt of gratitude."

As part of yesterday's ceremony, guests were entered into a prize draw, and the proceeds raised went towards our Guardian Angels appeal, to raise £300,000 to transform high-dependency paediatric care on York Hospital's children's ward.

York and Selby police commander Chief Superintendent Tim Madgwick, Harrowell Shaftoe senior partner John Yeomans, and Anne Hughes - who was supporting finalist Stuart Wilson - were all prize draw winners

Updated: 09:38 Friday, October 21, 2005