Trinity Mirror Cheshire and ScottishPower teamed up once again this year to find and celebrate the unsung heroes and heroines of our community.

Now the Chronicle can reveal the five deserving Your Champions 2015 winners for the Chester area, ahead of a glittering gala ceremony at the Crowne Plaze Hotel in Chester on Friday (November 13).

There they will go up against the winners for Ellesmere Port, South Cheshire, Wirral, Flintshire and Runcorn and Widnes.

Champion Person

Newton mum Jemma Gregory’s experiences as the parent of a little girl suffering from a life-limiting condition inspired her to found the charity Space.

Jemma came up with the idea when her youngest daughter Isabelle, who has mitochondrial disease, was just six months old.

Born at 35 weeks, doctors expected Isabelle only had weeks to live and would never be able to breathe by herself.

But Isabelle, who Jemma calls their ‘little miracle’, defied the odds and started attending a special needs school in January.

Hardworking mum Jemma Gregory has dedicated much of her life to the charity Space
Hardworking mum Jemma Gregory has dedicated much of her life to the charity Space

Space provides specialist drop-in play sessions in the Chester area for children with additional needs.

Jemma said: “Being a parent of a child with special needs is a very lonely place to be.

“I found there was very little support. I didn’t want this to be the case for others in the same situation and realised there was so much support to be gained from other parents.

“Our Space sessions are giving parents that opportunity whilst also giving children with special needs a fun, safe, accessible environment to play in.”

Jemma’s dedication is such that she was picked as the local hero to open the B&M store on Chester Retail Park in May.

Champion Team

The Pover family have turned their tragedy into something positive by raising almost £15,000 towards setting up a university scholarship in memory of their much-missed son.

Richard Pover was just 21 when he lost his battle with testicular cancer in June 2013.

He had been in the third year of a four-year MEng degree course in mechanical engineering at the University of Sheffield when he was diagnosed.

The university awarded Richard a first class degree posthumously.

Richard Pover, fourth left, with his family before he died of testicular cancer aged 21

His love for his adopted city and his course inspired his family, who live in Tarporley, to create a lasting memorial to him which will also help others.

The Richard Pover Outstanding Contribution Award will be a permanent endowment, open to all students within the University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering who have excelled in their extra-curricular activities and made an outstanding contribution, just as Richard did.

Richard’s mum Anne said: “The idea of an everlasting award in Richard’s memory gives us some comfort as we learn to accept the desperately sad loss of our wonderful, courageous and inspirational son.

“It’s a way to ensure that Richard is remembered but also it’s lovely that our friends are taking part in this tribute and that we want to reach anyone who’s had contact with Richard throughout his life and also the rest of us because it’s important to us all.”

Champion Young Person

A thank you letter penned by six-year-old Harvey Hughes-Sharps captured the hearts of staff at a hospice that looked after his mum.

Harvey’s mum Rachel sadly lost her battle with cancer in December 2013.

Determined to give something back to the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, Harvey, from Guilden Sutton, did chores to raise vital funds for them.

Then he sent a note to the hospice’s marketing and fundraising team along with a hand-painted jar full of coins.

Harvey Hughes-Sharps
Harvey Hughes-Sharps

He wrote: “I was really excited to raise money for the hospice.

“I wanted to say thank you for looking after my mum when she was poorly.

“I enjoy raising money for charities.”

Harvey took part in the Hospice of the Good Shepherd 5k Colour Fun Run on July 5 in memory of his mum.

He has also done a sponsored climb for Children in Need, and built a den with his friend Aman Rayet to raise more than £100 for Save the Children.

Sporting Champion

Anna Jackson is a pioneer of wheelchair basketball.

Anna, who lives in Upton, took up wheelchair basketball in 1997 after retiring from hockey due to knee problems which stopped her playing running sports.

After playing for just over six months she was invited to attend trials for the GB women’s wheelchair basketball team and was selected to join the squad.

A ten-year international playing career followed, during which she won bronze at the Paralympic World Cup in 2008 and played at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.

Wheelchair basketball player Anna Jackson, who was part of the 2000 Paralympics GB Wheelchair Basketball team, at the competition
Wheelchair basketball player Anna Jackson was part of the 2000 Paralympics GB Wheelchair Basketball team

Now forty-three-year-old Anna is head coach and player for Cheshire Phoenix Wheelchair Basketball Club.

She is passionate about promoting disabled sports and always keen to recruit new members to the Chester-based club, which actively raises awareness in the local community about the sport.

As well as her club commitments and part-time job working for the Post Office, busy Anna is also a Sporting Champion – part of a Sport England initiative bringing world-class athletes face-to-face with young people and young adults to inspire and motivate them.

She said: “Wheelchair basketball means the world to me and to get recognition for all the hard work going on to develop the sport in the local area is brilliant.”

Champion Volunteer

Frodsham resident Patricia Brian has worked tirelessly with a number of voluntary groups since she retired 17 years ago.

Her passion for volunteering earned her a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

She was recognised for her service to the Frodsham and Helsby communities, but insists that there are lots of others who do the same.

Between 2001 and 2006 and again from 2009 to 2013, she was branch leader of the Mothers’ Union in Helsby and since 2004 she has been a trustee of the Chester Diocese Mothers’ Union.

Patricia Brian
Patricia Brian

Another project she has supported is the Bridge Foyer Project in Chester, a refuge that looks after young homeless teenagers, teaching them to budget, cook and look after themselves.

She has taught service users to cook and budget for food.

Patricia ensures that knitting and toiletries are taken to victims of domestic violence in Ellesmere Port and Clare House Children’s Hospice, a nearby unit for children with cancer where the knitting is sold at open days to fundraise.

She also cooks for Springfield Residential Home each fortnight and since 2009, she has organised a crèche at the Young Offenders Prison at Thorncross so that the relatives of offenders can spend time with them.

Patricia told the Chronicle: “I do all these things but other people do them as well. I just enjoy volunteering – I have made a lot of friends and met some truly lovely people.