A FIVE-year-old girl, an 80-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man were the toast of Heywood on Friday night as they won the first ever Heywood Heroes awards.
Jade Kilduff, Betty Fisher and Mike Huck collected the trophies as the inaugural awards evening at Heywood Civic Centre.
Jade, aged five, of Gregge Street, won the Young Person of the Year award, sponsored by New Heart for Heywood, for saving her mum Diana's life when she collapsed a few months ago.
Betty, aged 80, of Buckley Street, won the Woman of the Year award, sponsored by Heywood Rotary Club, for her work at the luncheon club at Crimble Croft Community Centre. She was also secretary of Heywood East Tenants' and Residents' Association for many years.
Mike Huck, 66, was the winner of the Man of the Year Award.
He has helped young people in Heywood since arriving in the town more than 40 years ago in a variety of ways from running youth clubs at Heywood Baptist Church, where he was a minister, to giving them jobs at his businesses The Wishing Well Pub and Old Hucky's Restaurant.
Mr Huck also given support to drug addicts at his home St Ann's House on Ryecroft Avenue.
Heywood Heroes was originally the brainchild of Heywood Advertiser editor Paul Harrison and he worked on the event with Ged Heatherington and Peter Rush from Heywood Rotary Club, Andy Hargreaves from New Heart For Heywood and Dennis Booth.
As well as celebrating the achievements of Heywood's unsung heroes the awards evening, which was attended by nearly 170 people, also raised money for local charities.
Michael Byrne, the Advertiser's deputy editor, said: "Heywood Heroes has been a great way to say thank you not just to our winners but all the unsung heroes who have been nominated for our awards. They all deserve our thanks and appreciation.
"This has been the first year of having the Heywood Heroes and we hope it will now become an annual event."
Compere for the evening was Norman Prince and guest speaker was blind water skiing world champion Dr Janet Gray MBE.
CLICK on the Related Articles link to ready about the nominations.
CLICK on the images below for more (all pictures by Phil Taylor)
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Well done to all the winners and all the other people who were nominated. There are still some decent people around. Well done all of you.
I just want to thank all who organised Heywood Heroes and all who nominated me as Heywood Heroe. I was honoured to be part of this wonderful event. The evening at Heywood civic was lovely and the 28 guest who came to support me were brilliant. I have been so blessed by the 28 comments I got on the web so once again thank you so much I loved every minute of it. love Jenny Kennedy xxxxxx
its good to see local people being recognised for their work amongst local people in the local community. Congratulations to mike Huck you deserve the recognition for all your work over the years for the work you have done in heywood
mick huck is a legend
What a great piece of recognition for a guy who has done so much for so many others. He "saved" my brother and gave him the hope of a life far greater than the one he was heading for. Thanks Mike Huck not only for Joe but for others in similar situations
Jade Kilduff is a lovely girl and even though I was up in the competition against her I think she deserved to win the competition.
hi this is jade kilduffs mum. I want to say thank you to Connor barrett. You were fantastic on the night Connor, it was so sweet how you came and hugged and congratulated Jade. Thanks for your lovely comment, I hope you are in the competition next year and win.
Hi Jade, Saw you near morrisons a few weeks ago, well done again for winning, you deserve it! Hope you are keeping well! see you soon connor
Well done to you all Jade Kilduff, Betty Fisher and Mike Huck, you are truely all real heroes, Best wishes x