FINALISTS in this year's Local Heroes awards will learn their fate at a special gala awards ceremony this week.

The competition, run jointly by the Gazette and Leader Series and Uxbridge College, celebrates the unsung stars of everyday life – ordinary people who have done good deeds, overcome adversity or gone beyond the call of duty in the community.

Readers have been putting their heroes forward during the last three months in the categories of Star Carer, Outstanding Young Person, Fabulous Fundraiser, Courageous Citizen and Community Champion.

Nominees will learn who has taken the six coveted titles at an invitation-only ceremony at Uxbridge College Hayes Campus, in Coldharbour Lane, Hayes.

The overall winner, the Hero of Hillingdon, will be revealed at the end of the event.

This is the eighth year the popular competition has taken place and as always, the standard of entry is higher than ever, with the judges spending hours debating the nominations.

Uxbridge Gazette multimedia content manager, Shujaul Azam, said: "Once again, the standard of entries we received has been incredibly high and I know it was very difficult for the judges to reach their final decision.

"All of the finalists should be very proud of themselves for reaching this stage and I am looking forward to meeting everyone at the ceremony."

 Local Heroes: What They Win

The Hero of Hillingdon will be awarded £750 and a trophy

The category winners each receive £250 and a trophy

Runners up will each win £50

Readers can find out the results from tomorrow night and view a bumper picture gallery of the event on our website. 

Don't miss next week's Gazette for a special feature on all of the winners.

* A DETERMINED Multiple Sclerosis sufferer was crowned the overall winner of Local Heroes 2008.

Nimira Patel, of Harlington, scooped the top award for voluntarily running Little Angels playgroup at Harlington Baptist Church in High Street, Harlington, despite her illness.

She was also recognised as Community Hero for her efforts to support others in the community by offering a listening ear and giving helpful advice, as well as looking after people's children and making sure they get something to eat.

Like so many winners, she was very modest, telling the Gazette: "I was taken aback as I do not consider myself worthy of such praise.

"I do what I do because I love it and without Little Angels, people in Harlington would have nowhere to send their kids.

"Language, race, nationality does not matter to us, the children integrate together perfectly."

The Fundraising Hero title went to John Jones, of Uxbridge, who overcame prostate cancer to cycle across the Alps and raise £7,000 for the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Feisty pensioner Joan Thirkettle was named Citizen of Courage after beating an intruder at her Harefield home with her walking stick, at the ripe old age of 89.

Pierre Franck was named Carer Hero for his devotion to his wife and extended family.

The Young Hero category saw several children nominated for individual acts of bravery and good deeds but it was Georgina Devine who claimed victory after giving up her spare time to be a companion to an elderly lady in Harefield.

This year's nominees:

Star Carer

Jackie Gibbons nursed her husband through stomach cancer until his death last October, while also providing support for their 12 children, ranging from three to 38, three of whom live at home. Her family describe her as a tower of strength.

Martina Collis gave up her job as an art teacher to become a full time carer to her mother, who is suffering from Alzheimers.

Fabulous Fundraiser

Debbie Power, landlady of the King William IV pub in Sipson, spearheaded efforts to send shoe boxes filled with gifts including razors, socks, pot noodles, magazines and letters to troops in Afghanistan, after one of her regulars was posted there. She has sent 70 boxes so far, and also held a fundraising quiz for Help For Heroes, raising £350.

Hamish McGregor set up the temporary Help For Heroes shop in Uxbridge to raise money for British Forces, as part of a charity campaign by the Sun newspaper. He negotiated free rent on an empty shop in Windsor Street, and with the help RAF personnel and members of the public, £12,000 worth of merchandise was sold.

Mac McArtney has been a member of Ruislip Lions Club for the past 25 years, as well as being president twice and zone chairman (responsible for six clubs). He has organised 11 events in the past two years with gross takings of around £50,000 and a net profit of £16,000. He has also been in charge of running concerts at Winston Churchill Hall in Ruislip, as well as two outdoor events in the Manor House grounds in Ruislip. Charities which have benefited include Templeton Centre (for dementia care), Willow Tree Centre (for Guides), Acorn Youth Group and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Gerry and Diane Collins have been holding fundraising events at their pub, The Hut, in Hillingdon, since 2001. The couple have raised more than £20,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind, mainly through quizzes, and collected thousands of pounds for other charities, including the scouts and The Bobcats, a blind bowlers club.

Outstanding Young Person

Jamie Maguire, eight, has been praised for his amazing, positive attitude after being born with a very serious heart condition and enduring a number of serious operations, causing him to miss long periods of school and having to work very hard to catch up to his classmates. Despite his plight, he never complains and is always smiling.

Jennie Major is always supporting her sister who suffers a heart and lung condition, and helping her mother and father when her sister is in hospital by collecting her younger sister from school. She is also a member of Ruislip Sea Cadets.

Dhanesh Patel has been commended for saving the lives of three people after a fire in Uxbridge Road, Hayes, last October. The fire spread from a restaurant into some flats above, endangering residents. Dhanesh ran to get a ladder and helped the three men who were preparing to jump, before alerting the emergency services.

Courageous Citizen

Cyril and Becky Haggar set up a Hillingdon Brain Tumour Trust and a local branch of a support group called BT Buddies, after Cyril was diagnosed with a brain tumour – following seven months of doctors telling him he had sciatica. He had to find a surgeon on the internet as several refused to undertake the operation because it was too risky. The tumour was removed last September and the couple are now supporting others in the same situation.

Akhtar Jan fled war-torn Afghanistan alone aged just 16 in 2003. He had little English speaking skills but worked hard to learn the language and study various subjects at A Level, with very little support. He is now studying biomedical science at university with the ambition of becoming a doctor, and also mentors and befriends other unaccompanied minors, helping them to learn English and adapt in a new country. He also worked for charity Action for Children on the Total Respect project, to improve services for young people in the care system. He also volunteers for Red Cross.

Community Champion

Janice Andrews is a pensioner described as the guiding light behind Ruislip Skate Park for the past seven years, having campaigned for two years to have the park set up. She has also instrumental in getting financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the completion of the Manor Farm complex in Ruislip, and has been been a long-time supporter for Ruislip Young People's Centre.

Stan Atkin set up and has Pets Corner in Hillingdon for 38 years and continues to do so, despite now being in his 70s. He receives no formal funding and relies on the goodwill of people who donate waste fruit and vegetables for the animals. He has had no holiday for the past 38 years and goes to work in all weather conditions, despite being ill.

Daniel Simpson, football referee at West Drayton Boys Club/Youth FC, is also honorary treasurer, under 15s manager and coach, and under sevens manager and coach. Despite being a young man in his 20s with an active social life and work commitments, he secured funding for a newly refurbished sports hall, perimeter fencing and the under sevens football kit, and his efforts and vision have been praised for creating a better community sports service for the area.

Dougie Bodman has spent years maintaining the gardens of elderly people in his community on a voluntary basis, despite being 74.