We were looking for people who take on leadership or representative roles or who campaign, lobby and champion particular causes

PETER JACKSON

Peter is Treasurer of St Martin’s Church and also Upper Heaton Working Together – and can be found at the heart of almost every community activity in the area: Upper Heaton Fun Day, community clean-ups, public meetings etc. As well as holding the purse-strings, he is just as likely to be found putting up gazebos, shifting furniture or litter-picking.

Peter spends hours of his time, dealing with the hundreds of local people who use St Martin’s Community Hall for parties, events and other activities - often going out to lock up late at night, without complaint. In the words of the nomination form: “He really is a star!”

The nomination for Peter goes on: “At an age when most people are thinking about putting their feet up, Peter works tirelessly for the benefit of the community on Haworth Road where he has lived for most of his life.

“He is the kind of person who “just gets on with the job” and doesn’t draw attention to all that he does. He likes to make things happen – bringing the community together, making it more attractive -with projects like bulb-planting, and better play and sports facilities. He is always willing to help in practical ways even if that means putting himself out.”

For example, in a recent thunder storm, St Martin’s was struck by lightning. On a Sunday afternoon, a congregation of Tamil-speaking Christians meets in church for worship – and one of them went, soaking wet, to the vicarage for help because the lightning had set off the burglar alarm and it wouldn’t stop. The Rev Clare MacLaren says: “I had no idea how to help – but suggested that they try Peter. They rang him, and he came out of his warm dry house in the middle of the deluge to see what he could do! This is typical of Peter – nothing is too much trouble.”

LEANNE THORNE

Leanne Thorne is currently the Chair person of Friends of Lady Hill Park, Allerton and a committed member and volunteer of Lower Grange Community Centre, helps to ensure that Lady hill Park, Allerton and Lower Grange Community Centre are focal points for residents, helping them to build a better quality of life for themselves.

Leanne has gained a lot of respect from residents and professionals alike through her volunteering in the Allerton and Lower Grange Communities. She is a role model for other young mums to look up to, and to this immense importance in the work she is currently delivering.

Alex Dilger of Lower Grange Community Association says: “I have found Leanne to be a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual who will go out of her way to ensure that all residents of ages and abilities in the Allerton and Lower Grange communities have a collective voice in community matters.

“Leanne has given a lot of her time, efforts and commitment in assisting and delivering with developments of services and improvements for both communities on a volunteering capacity “Leanne’s work cannot be underestimated, as she has gone to great lengths to introduce a parent and toddler group session at the Lower Grange Community Centre for young parents to access on a weekly basis, and has helped volunteer in various roles with the re- developments of Lower Grange Community Centre and services on offer on a regular basis for over three years.”

As chair of Friends of Lady Hill Park Leanne also helped, secured and co-ordinated over £100,000 of funding to create a play and activity play area in Lady Hill Park for children and young people of all ages and abilities to play together, enjoy themselves, and develop their imaginative, social and physical skills.

MIKE SMITH

Mike has worn a number of hats around the Thackley community. From 1990-1993 he was vice chairman of the Beckfoot school parent-teacher association, and while he was doing that he formulated his own plan to ease unemployment at the heart of his own community.

Working with Bradford Council he came up with the idea of taking 30 people off the unemployment register in exchange for a grant worth more than £100,000 which he had secured and he set them to work on the construction of an all weather training pitch, the installation of floodlights, drainage of a car park and cosmetic repairs to the grandstand and clubhouse at Thackley Cricket Club.

In 2008 he was made an honorary life member of Thackley Cricket Club in recognition of his service to the club. But he’s also made ripples in the world of football, especially for his work over three years while Norwegian club Krokelvdanen was touring West Yorkshire.

Since 2007 he has served as chairman at Thackley Football Club, and his charity work includes getting a new football strip, books, games and spectacles for the Gambian Schools Trust. He has also raised money for Help the Heroes and the Manorlands hospice. His nomination letter reads: “Without question, his largest contribution to the village of Thackley has been the gala day to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. In November 2011 he published his ideas for a festival that would embrace the whole community, but sadly the response was nil.

“Doggedly determined, he decided to go it alone, and for the next five months ploughed a lonely furrow, soliciting sponsorship, producing the programme, collecting paperback books, visiting village elders who had memories of the Coronation, collecting materials for the bonfire, laying out a course for the welly chucking contest and decorating the community hall, “Come the day he was blessed with wonderful weather and he produced an event-packed gala day which will never be forgotten by the hundreds who took part.”

Click here for a form to cast your vote in the Community Champion category