A RETIRED couple who tirelessly work to make West Drayton a better, safer place have been named as this year's Local Heroes.
Janet and David Ross topped the Community Champion Category, before being named the overall winners at the Hillingdon Local Heroes awards ceremony, held at Uxbridge College's Hayes Community Campus, in Coldharbour Lane, Hayes, last night (Thursday).
The couple, who have lived in Ferrers Avenue, West Drayton, for the past 50 years, co-ordinate the area's Neighbourhood Watch scheme and are dedicated Street Champions, as well as being prominent members of the Yiewsley and West Drayton Town Centre Action Group, which aims to improve the area for residents and businesses alike.
For the past 10 years, they have also run The Pelican Club, a social group for blind and partially-sighted people in the borough, on a voluntary basis.
Speaking after the show, Mr Ross said: "We are just absolutely gobsmacked.
"Listening to all these stories, we feel that we haven't done anything special to deserve this.
"We are just cogs in a bigger machine, and there are lots of people in West Drayton doing what we do.
"Janet and I make a good team - she is the brains, and I am the pork."
Nominees were put forward in five categories - Courageous Citizen, Fabolous Fundraiser, Community Champion, Outstanding Young Person, and Star Carer - and the Local Heroes for 2012 was chosen from the winners of each category.
The awards, organised by the Uxbridge Gazette and Leader Series in association with Uxbridge College, are now in their tenth year, and this year's crop of nominees and their inspiring stories of charity, selflessness and community spirit proved that Hillingdon has its fair share of heroes who make a difference every day.
See the Uxbridge Gazette on Wednesday for the full story and pictures.
CATEGORY WINNERS
Courageous Citizen
WINNER - Alan Storer
RUNNER-UP - Olivia Stimpson
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Katharine Moran
Fabolous Fundraiser
WINNER - Neil Sullivan
RUNNER-UP - Tom Weatherall
RUNNER-UP - Veronica Rumsey
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Jeff Duley
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Alka Sethi
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Ian Taplin and Rob Parkinson
Community Champion
WINNERS - David and Janet Ross
RUNNER-UP - Sue Mutters
RUNNER-UP - Roy Mapplebeck
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Andrew Riley
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Wendy Caines
Outstanding Young Person
WINNER - Tyrese Jeffers (eight)
RUNNER-UP - Abdul-Najeeb Mohammed (12)
RUNNER-UP - Charlie Bruce (14)
RUNNER-UP - Nadia Becker (15)
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Oliver Kenway (13)
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Fjolla Krasniqi
Star Carer
WINNER - Pearl Bloom
RUNNER-UP - Eugenia Haywood
RUNNER-UP - Alan Gibbons
HIGHLY COMMENDED - Marge Matthews
