IT seems incredible that in spite of this being the seventh year of the Pride in our People Awards, there are still so many people doing such amazing and selfless work in West London.

If anything, it was even harder than usual to choose the finalists, such was the calibre of the nominees. As well as taking into account the quality of the work being done, the type of causes and how many people are affected, the judges also wanted the finalists to represent a cross-section of our very diverse community.

The finalists in each category are below and the winners of each will be announced at our gala awards ceremony at the Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Ealing on June 10 by our celebrity Rachel Agnew of TV's Loose Women fame.

The prize for each winner is £500 with another £500 going to the overall winner, the Star of West London. One lucky finalist nominator will win £100. The awards are a joint venture between the Gazette and Thames Valley University.

YOUNG PERSON

Mohammed Rage
A YOUNG boy who is confined to a wheelchair and struggles to get to school has been nominated by his teacher for his bravery.Mohammed Rage, ten, of Caulfield Road, Acton, has a severe form of clubfeet and has had seven corrective surgeries, two in the last year.He was nominated by teacher Debbie Todd from Berrymede Junior School in Acton who said Mohammed inspired teachers, staff and parents and praised him for his struggle in the face of diversity.

Youth2Youth
SIX teenagers who help run a unique telephone helpline for their peers have been nominated for their sterling efforts. Keith Pohl, Camilla Gorard, Arjun Pillai, Ayla Estreich, Gala Garrod and Guy Ansah-Palmer were put forward by Kathy O'Connor, Youth2Youth's senior supervisor, who praised them for their commitment and leadership. Youth2Youth, based in Acton was the first helpline of its kind in the UK when it was launched in 1997 for 11 to 19-year-olds. It has since grown from a local to a national helpline, dealing with problems from abuse and drugs to sexual problems and relationships.

Rachel Knightley
A RABBI has nominated a young woman for her inspiring work in the synagogue and fund-raising for cancer research through her own theatre company.Rachel Knightley, 28, from Ealing, was described as a "blessing" by Rabbi Janet Burden of Ealing Liberal Synagogue.She went on:"I don't know how we could ever have delivered the quality programming we do at the ELS religion school without her.Her energy gets not only the children, but also the teachers and assistants, fired up and enthusiastic."She also praised Rachel for her fund-raising work through her theatre company, Point 303, she created as a tribute to a young friend, who died of cancer. She said: "Rachel has become a roving ambassador for us and for the Jewish community at large through her charitable endeavours, particularly through her fund-raising for MacMillan Cancer Support.

MY HERO

Gill Shaw
ONE woman has travelled more than 21,000 miles across the UK in only four months in an effort to do 'her bit' for the armed forces.Celebrity photographer Gill Shaw, whose son Marc was in Afghanistan with the 2 RIFLES, spent months in hospitals, homes and army bases, interviewing and photographing wounded soldiers for her inspirational book, The Hero Inside. The aim of the book was to raise money for the charity, Help for Heroes, which supports servicemen and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. She was nominated by Marc who praised her selfless commitment to the cause.

Amine Elkhoury
FATHER-OF-TWO Amine Elkhoury risked his life to prevent another man from being stabbed to death. He stepped in during a debt collection row when a man went berserk with a knife. Amine restrained the knife-man after he had slit the face and throat of the debt collector. He was nominated by a councillor who praised him for his "great strength of character" and described him as a "modern-day hero."

Rachel Lohan
A MOTHER-OF-FOUR has been put forward for her sterling work in helping vulnerable families.Rachel Lohan, of Bellevue Road, West Ealing has worked for Ealing Homestart as a volunteer for five years and is also co-chairman. She was nominated by her co-chairman Prof Alan Gillett, who said: "It is the first time I have had a co-chairman and she has proved indispensable. She also works with the families and has four children of her own which gives her invaluable experience."

COMMUNITY CHAMPION

David Wright
A RECOVERING alcohol, who ended up a homeless criminal, has turned his life around and dedicated it to helping others like himself.David Wright, 56, from Acton, who has been dry for seven years, sunk so low even his family refused to talk to him. He is now a volunteer for an outreach service funded by the Ealing Council Drug and Alcohol Action Team and a peer consultant with B.HUG, a homeless and social exclusion charity based in Brent.He was nominated by Joe Whitaker, from B.HUG, who said: "David has made an outstanding contribution to the community in Ealing, supporting vulnerable people with substance misuse problems to recover their lives and dignity and encouraging others to follow his example. His addiction, which was his cage for almost 20 years, destroyed his family life and left him homeless and living an abysmal existence. He sunk as low as anyone could imagine, committing crime and at one point being stabbed during a fight on the street."

Akbar Alli
AN 89-year-old man launched a £752,000 fund-raising campaign for a new cardiology department at the hospital which treated him after a heart attack. Akbar Alli, from Ealing was taken to Central Middlesex Hospital after a heart attack in 1995 and decided to take action to improve conditions. A large chunk of the money was donated by GlaxoSmithKline as he knew the director.He was nominated by his wife, Ameera, who said: "He is a humble and selfless man who has a very high regard for his fellow humans, especially those less fortunate than himself and has always done whatever he could to make better the lives of a great many people."

Victoria Brasier
A MOTHER-OF-TWO has spent the past eight years helping to set up a rural community library and educational lifelines to the people of Uganda.Victoria Brasier, 38, from Hanwell, now liaison officer for the UNESCO Youth Ambassador in Uganda, said: " I have focused on creating a spirit of international friendship between the people of Ealing and Uganda, celebrating our cultures and diversity. Without the support of people in Ealing and Uganda my dreams of securing a positive future for Ugandan children would not have been realised. Families struggling to live by subsistance farming or labouring are now able to improve their income and pay school fees for their children."

BUSINESS

The Little Art Room
A WOMAN has been championed for running a business which has brought a sense of community to the area and become a hub for local families. June Martin, who runs The Little Art Room in Boston Road, Hanwell has been nominated by an astonishing 28 people. Rosemary Nash said:"Since opening the little art room she has brought a real sense of community to the area. Not only has she created a warm and friendly environment for mums and their children to get together but she has also been a champion for other mums to get small businesses up and running." Rose Eyre, a neighbour, said: "The shop has become a lifeline for mothers with children to meet in a friendly, creative place. She has created such a team spirit in this part of Hanwell. She supports the study centre by selling their handmade cards and supports the Hanwell Carnival.Natasha Van Minkelis added: "She is totally supportive and encouraging and offers great advice and guidance to us."

RSK (Robertson, Smith and Kempson)
AN estate agent, with branches across West London, has been nominated for its support of local organisations, schools and voluntary groups. Robertson Smith and Kempson (RSK) based in The Broadway, Ealing, runs a Community Matters Programme which backs a range of events and projects, from fooball kit to fetes.The firm was nominated under the business category by Julian Holmes, a father of one of the schools, who said: "Over the last decade I’ve had a symbiotic relationship with several of the RSK offices, and received the same sound advice and excellent service. Being a father in the area I have seen a direct impact of their commitment to the community through their sponsoring of our Mount Carmel school fete and charitable publications.This integrity, display of high standards and desire to play their part in the community make them an ideal nominee for the Pride in our People awards."

Martin Hunt
A FORMER athlete, who has become a personal trainer, specialising in the elderly, is now creating a board game to help them develop co-ordination and stability. Martin Hunt, a 36-year-old father-of-three from Ealing,who used to run for Ealing Southall & Middlesex Athletics club, decided to target his personal training towards the elderly as he has a disabled father and two disabled nephews. He said: "This is something close to my heart. For the past 10 months I have been training a 68-year-old disabled arthritis sufferer from Hanwell. When we met she could only walk for about five minutes with her walking stick and after five to six months of stretching and basic bodyweight exercises she can walk for more than 30 minutes without her walking stick. I want to reach out to the elderly/carers/disabled people/housebound people by showing that replicated movements can be developed into an exercise program. Breaking things down step by step, can reap great benefits."

KEY WORKER

Jackie Riggon

Angela Lount
A teacher who helps children fulfil their dreams was described as an "angel" for her contribution to Greenford High School in Southall. Angela Lount, 61, runs courses for teenagers with learning difficulties and is a mentor and second mother to the pupils. Her work now includes a nurture group for the first years and help and confidence building for those in their mid teens. The wider community also benefits as her students help her organise tea and Christmas parties for the elderly.

Abdi Haidarow
Abdi has been nominated for his unstinting work helping Somalian refugees integrate into the community. The 41-year-old, who works in Hammersmith and Fulham, was nominated for his efforts with the Banooda Aid Foundation. It began supporting children in Melcombe Primary School in Fulham, but soon expanded its work to help youngsters across the boroughs. Abdi has also run campaigns to turn youngsters away from gang culture and knife crime.