THE town's grassroots sporting heroes are hoping to be crowned the best in Cheshire at a gala awards ceremony.

The Cheshire and Warrington Sports Partnership Awards at the Park Royal Hotel, Warrington, on Friday will see a host of individuals devoted to promoting sport in Ellesmere Port up for gongs.

West Cheshire AC are nominated in the Club of the Year category. At last year’s awards, the Stanney Oaks-based club – which also serves the Chester area – scooped the prize representing Chester.

Club chairman Dennis Wall said: “To be nominated in two successive years is a fantastic achievement for anybody.

“We are great organisers and cater for all age groups so that helps our case. We see ourselves as a true community organisation.”

Vauxhall ABC’s head coach Peter Phelan, involved with boxing for over 27 years, is up for Coach of the Year. Peter has been involved with high-profile fights, as well as doing grassroots work with young people in the club in Little Sutton.

Nominated for the Special Recognition Award is Corrina Thorley, from Elton, who has been developing sporting opportunities for people with learning disabilities for more than 20 years. She helps run a Saturday Sports Club and is chairwoman of the Ellesmere Port and Neston Special Olympics group.

Sandra Johnson, health promotion practitioner for learning disabilities at Cheshire and Warrington Sports Partnership, said: “Corrina has overcome many obstacles in her personal life but this has not deterred her from giving her time and expertise to ensuring people with learning disabilities have the opportunities to experience social and physical activities within the community setting.”

In with a shot of winning Young Volunteer of the Year is Callum Eager, who gives his time to the Friday Night Fever programme at Stanney Oaks Leisure Centre, Stanney Lane.

He volunteers every Friday evening to deliver multi-sport activity to young people in the Stanlow and Wolverham area and is fundraising to ensure they raise more than £8,000 by March.

Volunteer of the Year nominee Leah Van Driel, 20, of Great Sutton, dedicates 35 hours a month to volunteering.

She supports the Girls Active Project, School of Rock and Disability Sport Club and is a Street Sport Activator for Active 8.

The final Ellesmere Port nominee is Ruth Dennis, 40, nominated for the Disabled Sports Achiever of the Year.

Ruth, who has Down’s syndrome, has played for the Ellesmere Port and Neston Special Olympics Dynamos netball team at regional and national levels.