INSPIRATIONAL people who make a difference in Hillingdon took centre stage at the Uxbridge Gazette's Local Heroes awards.

The eleventh annual awards, organised by the Gazette in partnership with Uxbridge College, commended the average folk whose kindnesses, triumphs over adversity, and commitment to the greater good have not
gone unnoticed, and touched those who benefit.

The Mayor of Hillingdon, Councillor Allan Kauffman, Mayoress Lynne Kauffman, and Cowley's Paralympic 2012 horseriding double gold-medallist Natasha Baker were guests of honour at the gala ceremony, held at Uxbridge College in Hayes, off Coldharbour Lane, yesterday evening (Thursday June 6).

Contesting six award categories - Community Champion, Courageous Citizen, Star Carer, Outstanding Young Person, Fabulous Fundraiser, and the overall Hero of Hillingdon - were 23 nominees, whose humbling stories and notable achievements served as a reminder of the good being done in Hillingdon every day.

Winners received s200, and runners-up s50, with highly commended candidates getting a certificate. The Hero of Hillingdon, chosen from the winners, received an additional s500 Sixteen-year-old Cornell Otudeko, who has excelled in his studies at Harefield Academy and kept his spirits high despite his daily battle
with Crohn's disease, won the Outstanding Young Person category.

Young people also made up the Courageous Citizen nominees, and it was 12-year-old Taekwondo star Ethan Kosak-Hine, whose almost lost his foot in an accident at his Ickenham home and started fighting again after making a swift recovery, who was awarded the top prize.

Trinity Homeless Projects, the Uxbridge-based charity which aims to improve the lives of rough sleepers, scooped the Star Carer award.

Harlington Hospice charity shops manager Barbara Garrison, who gained four nominations, is this year's Fabulous Fundraiser.

The Community Champion was the hardest fought, with seven worthy entries, but the judges opted for Sipson stalwart and salon owner Jackie Clark-Basten.

Mrs Clark-Basten, a lifelong Sipson resident who has been pillar of strength and a leading light in the ongoing battle against a third runway, went on to be named the Hero of Hillingdon.

 Alan Hayes, news editor of the Uxbridge Gazette, said: "It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful some of the people living in our community can be, and each year there is a fresh crop of surprising,
moving, and inspiring stories to tell."


HERO OF HILLINGDON
Jackie Clark-Basten

COMMUNITY CHAMPION
WINNER: Jackie Clark-Basten
RUNNERS-UP: Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, Dave Gentry, Anab Abdalla
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Elliot Blain, Les Drussel, Tony Ellis

COURAGEOUS CITIZEN
WINNER: Ethan Kosak-Hine
RUNNERS-UP: Natasha Bennett, Rachel Robinson
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Lewis O'Sullivan

STAR CARER
WINNER: Trinity Homeless Projects
RUNNERS-UP: Emma Brown, Peter Fletcher
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Brian Smith

OUTSTANDING YOUNG PERSON
WINNER: Cornell Otudeko, 16
RUNNER-UP: Nasrudin Mohamed, 16

FABULOUS FUNDRAISER
WINNER: Barbara Garrison
RUNNERS-UP: Michelle O'Shea-Sandwith, Pam Valentine-Duval
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bob Jenkins, Hannah Luckett, Eddie O'Sullivan

Photo: Paralympian double gold medalist Natasha Baker (left) with Natasha Bennett, runner up in the Courageous Citizen category.

Make sure you pick up your Gazette next Wednesday for four pages of stories and pictures from Local Heroes 2013.