THEY'RE the pride of the North East of Glasgow - and we want to hear about the local heroes making a difference in your area.

THEY'RE the pride of the North East of Glasgow - and we want to hear about the local heroes making a difference in your area.

The latest stage of the Glasgow Community Champion Awards have been launched - and you have just over 10 days to get your entries in.

HOW TO ENTER

TO download a Glasgow Community Champion Awards entry form, go to www.eveningtimes.co.uk and follow the link to Community Champions.

Or call or e-mail Gayle Cooper on 0141 302 7319, or gayle.cooper@heraldandtimes.co.uk, and request a form.

You can also write to: Glasgow Community Champions Awards, Evening Times, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow, G2 3QB.

Today we focus on the stories of two unsung heroes who are working hard to improve the lives of people living in the north east of the city.

Harry Worsley has been working for more than two decades to raise cash for the Marie Curie cancer charity.

And green-fingered youngsters in Royston are making a bid to transform a patch of wasteground - for the benefit of the whole community.

This is the ninth, and second-last, stage of the awards - and we want to make sure all stars living and working in the north east are recognised.

It's easy to make sure your local heroes get the recognition they so richly deserve - just fill in a nomination form and tell us all about the stand-out stars in Springburn; Sighthill; Roystonhill and Germiston; Blackhill and Hogganfield; Balornock and Barmulloch; Robroyston and Millerston.

Forms are easy to download online, or enter the details on our website, www.eveningtimes.co.uk And everyone involved is invited along to a gala awards ceremony where some of Glasgow's leading figures will be present.

All entries must be received by Thursday, July 16 to be in plenty of time for the special awards ceremony at Barmulloch Community Centre on July 28.

The Glasgow Community Champion Awards are a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Police, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, Glasgow Community Planning Partnership and the Evening Times.

A total of 60 city-wide winners from ten areas will be invited to a gala final held at the City Chambers in October, where the overall Community Champions will be crowned.

Here are some of the possible contenders for the North East of Glasgow.

INDIVIDUAL AWARD: HARRY WORSLEY

Harry and Marion Worsely are veteran supporters
Picture: Jim Carroll
HARRY WORSLEY just doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word "retirement".

The Marie Curie volunteer was persuaded to give up his job with Crown Paint in 1984 aged 69 - and immediately began dedicating his free time to the hospice.

Now aged 94, he's been working for the charity for 25 years and has raised more than £35,000.

His fellow workers say that as his mobility has decreased with age, his creativity has soared.

After years fundraising with a collecting can and organising a Christmas quiz, Harry was forced to search for new ways to generate cash.

Putting his thinking cap on, he found a publishing house willing to republish a book he had written about Loch Lomond - with all proceeds going to Marie Curie.

Marie Curie fundraiser Karen Milne nominated Harry, from Bishopbriggs, for his award for his dedication and kindness.

She said: "Despite being 94, Harry continues to inspire support for the hospice.

"He is a warm and exceptionally kind man, who has demonstrated resolute dedication to helping others. He is described fondly by staff and volunteer colleagues at the hospice as a gentleman who is always willing to work."

Harry and his wife Marion, who have been married for 56 years, both began volunteering for the Glasgow hospice after watching a TV recruitment advert.

Marion began serving tea to the patients while Harry manned the switchboard in the evenings.

After the switchboard job, the pensioner began befriending patients without any family, often holding their hands and comforting them through the final stages of their illness.

Harry said: "I've been volunteering so long now that I can't imagine life without Marie Curie."


TEAM AWARD: ROYSTON GARDEN OF EDEN PROJECT

Danile Black, Ryan McKenna and Scott Bowie set to work
Picture: Christian Cooksey
ROYSTON Primary School pupils have a blooming great idea for their community.

The youngsters are planning to transform a derelict piece of wasteground into a flower and vegetable "garden of Eden".

And the kids hope locals will enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Pupils have been working with a local artist to come up with a stunning plan for their ideal garden.

So far, £55,000 has been raised to create a garden the whole community can be proud of.

Work on the garden will begin when term starts back in August - with all pupils digging in to help.

Employability officer Cornel Neil, who works in Royston schools to boost kids' job-hunting skills, came up with the idea for the garden.

He said: "I was trying to think of a way to improve the eco credentials of the school, which is hoping to earn a Green Flag.

"I looked out the window and spied the piece of wasteground next to the school and thought 'we could do something fantastic with that'."

The school has teamed up with Blochairn, Spireview and Copperworks housing associations to make sure local people also get good use of the garden.

Teachers hope the garden will help make Royston a healthier, greener and more pleasant place to live.

The garden will also serve as a memorial to two young pupils who were murdered; Mark Cummings who died in 2004 and Paul Ross, 6, who was killed by his father last year.


THERE are six categories you can nominate in:

INDIVIDUAL AWARD

People who give up free time to make a contribution to other people's lives or to a community.

TEAM AWARD

This recognises the work of community teams, organisations, charities or a group of volunteers.

PUBLIC SERVICE INDIVIDUAL AWARD

This will be presented to people working for a public service in a local community who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

PUBLIC SERVICE TEAM AWARD

This is for a remarkable public service team that has made an outstanding contribution to help those they serve.

NEIGHBOUR AWARD

We're looking to recognise those unsung heroes who make a big contribution with no expectation of reward.

YOUNG COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

People or groups aged 17 and younger who have shown inspirational behaviour.