Community Champion shortlist: Radka Keselova and Zuzana Tancosova, Shahid Islam, Will Sutcliffe

Shahid Islam

Shahid has been running a swimming session every weekend and has set up a neighbourhood Whatsapp group in Parkside so local information is widely shared. He has also encouraged local residents to plant up their gardens with wildlife-friendly plants and given away 30 apple trees, helping people living in the area to plant them.

In addition he encourages community clean-ups by organising litter picks and is currently working on developing a derelict piece of land into a community allotment.

In icy and snowy weather he can be found knocking on the doors of elderly resident who live alone to ask if they need any help getting supplies from the shops.

He also also taken part in a cycle challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support, raising nearly £10,000, and has campaigned to save a local playing field from being sold off.

"Shahid leads by example and will always make time for people.

"He doesn't just give advice but he supports people with their gardens and with their swimming and with fixing their bikes and learning routes to ensure they stay involved."

Radka Keselova and Zuzana Tancosova

Radka and Zuzana are both from Slovakia and both volunteer at St Edmund's Nursery School and Children's Centre in Girlington to help support children and their parents to overcome any language barriers they may face. They both speak Slovak, Czech and Roma, and so are able to help a number of children who speak these language at the school and children's centre.

Radka supports families in parenting groups and stay and play sessions at the centre, using her interpreting skills as well as encouraging them to attend activities available for the whole family.

Zuzana supports children with their language, and helps them to settle in, as well as assisting staff in ensuring children reach the expected milestones.

They were both nominated by Juraj Tancos at the school, who said: "Radka is encouraging families to attend sessions and introduce early education because most of the families are not used to this, due to discrimination in their home countries.

"Zuzana is very supportive in the classrooms and helps children to settle and make parents feel better due to language as well as knowing that she understands their children's language.

"Because most of the parents had bad experience in their home countries due to discrimination, Zuzana empowers and reassures them by being there and works with both the parents and the staff."

Will Sutcliffe

Will has work tirelessly for years in both a paid and unpaid capacity to help refugees and asylum seekers in the district. He helps people find homes with volunteers, campaigns and organises fundraising and awareness-raising activities.

He is a champion for City of Sanctuary, Destitution Concern and Beacon, where he works.

He recently organised a event, Sanctuary in Bradford - Making it Happen, which was held at City Hall in September. It brought together people from different backgrounds and faiths. They considered what the City of Sanctuary title means, the work the team is doing with refugees and asylum seekers, and how this can be taken into the future.

Will was nominated by Amria Khatun, who said: "He is an excellent advocate for refugees and asylum seekers and has an empowering approach and always encourages refugees and asylum speakers to speak for themselves.

"He is very humble and committed to securing the best results he can for those he works with."

She added regarding the City of Sanctuary event: "It looked at what the national and local context and issues are. The event brought together people from different backgrounds and faiths to consider what we can do."

Right click on the coupon below to save a printable version to your computer by selecting 'Save image as'. Send your vote by November 30, 2015.​ Only one vote per catergory, per person, please.