FINALISTS in the Gazette and Uxbridge College Local Heroes Awards are nervously awaiting the results of this year’s competition.

And the wait is nearly over: tomorrow night (Thursday) the college’s Hayes campus will play host to the friends, family and colleagues of the nominees of 2013, in the awards categories of Fabulous Fundraiser, Outstanding Young Person, Star Carer, Citizen of Courage and Community Champion.

At the ceremony, to be attended by the Mayor of Hillingdon, Councillor Allan Kauffman and his wife, Lynne, the shortlisted heroes will find out if they have been highly commended, have been named as runners up or have taken the coveted category win and a £200 prize.

And for one of them, the crown of Hero Of Hillingdon and an additional £500 will be theirs.

Last year’s winners were Janet and David Ross, who were ‘gobsmacked’ at being named Heroes of Hillingdon.

A year on and they are still fundraising for The Pelican Club, still active in the Yiewsley and West Drayton community, with events such as the recent fair on the green, and are looking forward to this weekend’s Yiewsley carnival.

Thinking back to last year’s ceremony brings back happy memories. “I thought there were more deserving cases than ours, so we were completely overwhelmed,” said Mrs Ross this week.

“I thought it was very well organised, and I hope this year’s ceremony goes just as well.”

Gazette reporters and photographers will be there to get all the reaction and capture the atmosphere of the night, and in next week’s Gazette there will be four pages of pictures and all the results.