ACTOR Atta Yaqub has hit the back of the net with his youth sports club Glasgow Ansar. The popular Pollokshields club is in the running for a Glasgow Community Champion Award.

The 29-year-old star of Ae Fond Kiss and Meet The Magoons set up the organisation with his best pal Zubair Malik in 2001 to encourage youngsters from South Side ethnic communities to play football.

HOW TO ENTER . . . WE'RE looking to find community heroes living or working around Pollokshields, Strathbungo, Shawlands, Govanhill, Crosshill, Laurieston, Hutchesontown, Oatlands and Toryglen. We need you to nominate your heroes. You can put yourself or your own group forward. The deadline for nominations is this Friday. You can download an entry form at www. eveningtimes.co.uk or on our community sites at: pollokshields.eveningtimes.co.uk shawlands.eveningtimes.co.uk govanhill.eveningtimes.co.uk gorbals.eveningtimes.co.uk toryglen.eveningtimes.co.uk You can also e-mail gayle.cooper@ glasgow.newsquest.co.uk or call her on 0141 302 7319. To request a form by post, write to Glasgow Community Champion Awards, Evening Times, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow, G2 3QB.

And the clock is ticking for South Siders to nominate the other groups and individuals who help make their communities champion.

There's only three days left to submit nominations for the Southside Central area.

We want to hear about the stand-out stars and remarkable groups in Pollokshields, Greater Gorbals, Shawlands, Strathbungo, Toryglen and Govanhill.

Glasgow Ansar is one such group helping to improve lives. The Pollokshields club has spread its wings to pitch up a range of sporting and personal development activities for youngsters.

Now Ansar, meaning All Nations Sports And Recreation, includes two football teams, cricket, hockey and netball teams in addition to a school summer camp programme.

Its activities are used by more than 300 people.

"We can promote a better lifestyle for the black and minority ethnic communities and in doing so help create an integrated society," said Atta, who recently gave up a development worker post with Faith In Community Scotland to concentrate on acting and Glasgow Ansar.

The organisation is building a personal development base through workshops, careers advice, counselling and confidence building.

Its activities are funded by small grants from bodies such as Glasgow City Council, Active Futures, Awards For All and the Big Lottery Fund.

Both Atta and Zubair volunteer their time but hope to secure funding for a project manager position in the future.

Atta said: "If you have a passion for something and you believe in the cause then you find time."

The Southside Central area is the third to be visited so far by the Glasgow Community Champion Awards, which are a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Police, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, Glasgow Community Planning Partnership and the Evening Times.

Our postbag and inbox are brimming with stories of inspiring community endeavours, but the window to nominate in the Southside Central area closes on Friday.

Entries will be whittled down to a shortlist by a judging panel made up of partner representatives.

Everyone is welcome to find out the lucky winners of each of the six categories by attending the high profile event at Destiny, 1120 Pollokshaws Road in Shawlands on January 27 at 6pm.

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Gorbals scheme a big hit

THINK global, act local is a phrase residents of the Gorbals have taken to heart through Gorbals Recycles.

The charity, which grew out of a community meeting in 2002, provides an outlet for residents to recycle and buy cheap clothing and household goods.

Since unveiling premises at 10 Commercial Court last summer following a £250,000 facelift, the centre boasts a shop, office, training base and a bicycle workshop offering kids' reconditioned bikes for less than £20.

The scheme employs four staff and has 20 volunteers.

A Lottery grant of £320,000 made the project possible, while the Dan Flynn bicycle shop - named after a local sports hero - received £4500 from the Gannett Foundation, parent company of the Evening Times.