THE winners of the Pride of St Helens Awards 2022 were crowned on an emotional and inspiring night at Saints’ stadium
It was the 10th occasion the event - sponsored by the Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group - had been staged since its inception in 2012.
And the glittering evening on Friday, hosted by sports broadcaster Fraser Dainton, saw the best of St Helens celebrated.
Among the highlights was in the Arts Award category, as Rainford schoolboy Jamie Leahey, the ventriloquist who starred in Britain's Got Talent, was named the winner.
There was a special Making a Difference Award that was presented to Becky and Glenn Youens, the parents of Violet-Grace.
Violet, four, died after being hit by a speeding car in 2017 and, after the devastation over her death, there was widespread anger over the length of sentences handed to the men who were in the vehicle that day.
A campaign led by her family finally led to the Government bringing in new sentencing powers (known as Violet's Law) that give judges the powers to impose life sentences to dangerous drivers who kill.
The Pride of St Helens audience gave Becky and Glenn a standing ovation.
The event also saw huge cheers as Andy Reid, the war veteran, collected the Courage Award weeks after climbing Kilimanjaro on his prosthetic limbs.
Meanwhile, the children’s author Frank Cottrell Boyce - who went to school at St Bartholomew’s in Rainhill and West Park in St Helens - was given a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Frank was scriptwriter for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, when he used St Helens motto Ex Terra Lucem as a source of inspiration.
Kristian Woolf, the former Saints coach who led the club on an unprecedented era of success, won the night’s headline Pride of St Helens Award.
Throughout this week the Star will be featuring stories and pictures from the night, while a 16-page supplement will be included in this week’s print edition.
See a full list of the winners and highly commended below
Arts Award sponsored by Imperial Quarter
Winner: Jamie Leahey
Highly commended: Jack Bennett, The Ks
Building Back Award sponsored by HMS Housing
Winner: Ian Pitts
Highly commended: St Helens Bookstop; Thatto Heath Crusaders
Charity Champion sponsored by Assured Life
Winner: Emily Andrew
Highly commended: David Howarth; Gary Ward
Child of Courage sponsored by Lanny Man
Winners: Jake Cathcart; Fearne Disbury
Community Impact sponsored by Accord Wills
Winner: Rotary St Helens
Highly Commended: Think Fast Academy; Wonderland Community Centre
Courage Award sponsored by Paramount Digital
Winner: Andy Reid
Highly commended: Dan Parr; Karen Rigby
Lifetime Achievement sponsored by Toast Cafe
Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Pride of Place sponsored by Swindells Roofing
Winner: Friends of St Helens Cemetery
Highly commended: Portico Vine Rugby Club, North West Miners Heritage Association
Sportsperson of the Year sponsored by Saints RLFC
Winner: Jonny Lomax
Highly commended: Liam Burbridge, Ellie Threlkeld
Unsung Hero sponsored by Handepay
Winner: David Lane
Highly commended: Tom Glynn, Flo Shuker
Young Sportsperson sponsored by St Helens Council
Winner: James Eden
Highly commended: Lewis Shaw, Bobby Birkett
Making A Difference Award sponsored by JC Kitchens
Violet-Grace's Law
Pride of St Helens Award sponsored by Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group
Winner: Kristian Woolf
Highly commended: Jacqui Abbott, St Helens Mind
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