HERE are our three Unsung Hero nominees ahead of the Pride of St Helens awards taking place on Friday, November 18.

Here are our shortlisted nominees for the Unsung Hero Award.

Ahead of the awards next Friday, we will be sharing profiles on each category of the awards highlighting each of the nominees.

Tom Glynn

St Helens Star:

Forming the UC Crew in 2004, Tom Glynn has mentored hundreds of people in St Helens who are interested in break dancing and hip hop.

Offering something different to young people in the borough, UC Crew has grown from a weekly dance breaking class to an award-winning non-for-profit organisation.

In addition to break dance classes, the group gives members the chance to get involved in a variety of creative workshops such as DJing, art and graffiti, and rapping.

The team has also hosted Heritage Days to reflect on the history of break dancing in St Helens and bring a sense of nostalgia to those who grew up in the 80s, 90s, and noughties.

Training the next generation of dancers, Tom also takes take the team to competitions to test themselves against other budding athletes.

He continued to offer activities for people to stay fit and dancing through lockdown, and was also commended with a ‘National Everyday Heroes’ award from O2 Telecommunications.

With break dancing becoming an Olympic sport in 2024, the group has continued to grow in popularity and allows young people the space to express themselves through dance

With almost two decades of UC Crew, Tom, from Haydock, remains committed to growing the group and reach more budding break dancers across the region.

Flo Hodgson

St Helens Star:

Working all year round at her local craft group, Flo Hodgson helps to knit designs that go on to support the community in a range of different ways.

As well as providing a place for people to meet and socialise, Flo and the group sew a range of patterns for the benefit of others, such as blankets for dementia patients and dresses for baby dolls.

With a passion to support those with dementia and their families, Flo works alongside a nurse at Whiston Hospital so that all of the group’s items and donations can be directed to those who need it.

She also runs a yearly Dementia Coffee Morning, where she has raised more than £500.

A partnership works alongside a nurse at Whiston Hospital so that all of the group’s items and donations can be directed to those who need it.

Supporting the people in other ways, Flo and her friends have also donated bags of clothes, toys, and children’s accessories to local refugee groups to welcome them into the community.

Conducting all of her selfless work in her seventies, Flo is described as “truly an unsung hero in the Clock Face community”.

David Lane

St Helens Star:

David Lane has run his business, for more than four decades helping to serve sporting organisations and team across St Helens and the north west.

David runs Lanes Trophies, which is based on High Lane, in Fingerpost. 

Lanes Trophies has been going for more than 40 years at the shop premises in Fingerpost. 

The business provides bespoke medals and trophies for sports including rugby league, football, snooker, pool, darts, golf, and for other events and awards for anyone who has a corporate or a sporting event coming up.

The business specialises in league trophies that can be engraved according to unique specifications. The trophies are personalised by the expert engraving, which can put dates, names and anything else people want included.

In David’s nomination it was said: “He provides the best of service to local and wider region sports teams and organisations, including Saints, National Conference Rugby League, District Football” and others. 

David is also a great charity fundraiser with annual golf days each year for local organisations such as Honeyrose and Willowbrook to name a couple.

A cornerstone of local sports, many sportsmen and women in the area will have a ‘Lanes Trophy’ on their mantlepiece.