HEREFORDSHIRE’S first ever Community Champions have been crowned.
Five winners, each winning £500, were announced during an awards evening at Hereford Shirehall to celebrate those who give up their time for others across the length and breadth of the county.
Kris Saunders-Stowe, a wheelchair user, was given the Greatest Achievement award for his role in becoming a fitness instructor, a role which led to him setting up his unique class Wheelie Fit, which has gone on to be internationally popular with its release as a home exercise DVD. 
And the Liz Connors Local Community award went to the South Wye Community Association and the volunteers of Belmont Community Centre.
The management and volunteers put on weekly coffee mornings, twice-monthly luncheon clubs and manage events throughout the year for young and old alike.
The Volunteer of the Year award went to Sharon Fellows, who has spent the past 13 years as secretary at Leominster Town Football Club where she became the first woman to be appointed as a director of the Herefordshire FA.
After winning the award she said: “My £500 is going towards a small ride on mower for Leominster Town FC to enable us to do the grass verges around the football pitches easier. 
“I felt that as I was nominated for my role within the club so it was only fair that the money was used for something for the club. 
“This money has come in very handy as we are just in the process of taking over the grass pitches at Bridge Street off the councils hands and will be maintaining them ourselves and this item is the last on our wish list.”
Apprentice of the Year was Will Skinner, a fourth year engineering apprentice at Cargill who as been heavily involved in a care in the community project at Burghill School, and helped set up the Little Princess Trust ball.
The Youth Champion award went to Georgia Jennings who has been volunteering at Riding for the Disabled for the past four years.
She has learnt how to hoist so she can lift riders from their wheelchairs onto the horses.
The awards, which were presented by Lady Darnley, the Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, and organised by Councillor Brian Wilcox, chairman of Herefordshire Council, are a partnership between Herefordshire Council and Cargill, and are supported by the Hereford Times.