Local Heroes Awards as it happened

2:31pm Tuesday 4th December 2012 in Sport

This live event has finished

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A souvenir of tonight's awards will be in Saturday's Northern Echo. 

10:07pm

And that's a wrap!

Congratulations to all of tonight's award winners and nominees - you're all local heroes and an inspiration to us all.


Local Hero 2012 Josef Craig

10:04pm

Unfortunately Kat has a very important training session in the morning, so to collect her award is fellow Olympic rower, Jess Eddie.

10:04pm

And there's a standing ovation for the winners as they collect their awards. 

10:03pm

Local Heroes 2012
Winners: Kat Copeland and Josef Craig

For the first time ever, the judges decided to make a joint award.

The Local Heroes of 2012 are Olympic gold medallist, Kat Copeland, and Team GB's youngest gold medallist, Paralympian, Josef Craig!

Congratulations to the pair of them!


Josef Craig collects his award from Sunderland footballer Adam Johnson.

10:00pm

So all that remains is to name the overall local hero for 2012, and to present the award is Sunderland football star, Adam Johnson.

9:59pm

Outstanding Performance Of The Year
Winner: Steven Taylor

He is 13 and from Bishop Auckland. At the age of just 18 months he was so ill he needed heart surgery.

He's now gone on to be a cricket star at his primary school - St John's RC School. 

Well done Steven! 

9:56pm

Onto the final category now, the award for outstanding performance of the year, sponsored by Teesside University.

9:55pm

Junior Team/Club of the Year
Winner: Louisa Allstars Trampoline Club

The 2012 season has been the most successful to date for the club, based in Stanley.

Out of fewer than 30 members, nine of these are competing at a national level. 

Congratulations! 

9:53pm

Next up is the junior award for the team or club of the year, sponsored by Durham Gate.

9:52pm

Most Promising New Talent
Winner: Sophie Ward

The teenager from Middleton St George, near Darlington, is now British champion for her age group in tae kwondo and has represented Great Britain in a number of tournaments. 

She's also tipped as a future Olympian for the 2020 games.

Well done Sophie! 

9:49pm

And now we're onto the award for most promising new talent, sponsored by Recognition PR.

9:49pm

Team GB Olympians Nicola Wilson and Steph Houghton join Scott Wilson on stage to relive their fantastic summer of sport.

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9:41pm

Sporting Excellence (Junior)
Winner: Josef Craig

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Scott Wilson talks to Olympic gold medallist Kat Copeland as she collected her Sporting Excellence (Senior) Award earlier tonight. 

9:40pm

Remarkable Achievement (Junior)
Winner: Karina Bean

The 15-year-old from Melsonby started gymnastics at the age of 8, but was diagnosed with ADHD when she was 11.

She was later diagnosed with a rare eye disease and maltraking patellas, which makes her knees pop out.

Despite this she's gone on to become a British Champion.

Well done Karina!

 

9:37pm

Back to the awards! 

Next up is the junior award for remarkable achievement, sponsored by Tees Barrage. 

9:36pm

Before we carry on with the awards we've got a quick message from Alan Pardew, who couldn't be here tonight.

9:36pm

9:32pm

Milly from Deerness Gymnastics Academy saves the day and rows her way to £10,000 which will go towards Future Sport.

It's a good job Ali and John are good at presenting...! 

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John managed 250m in a minute. Will Ali beat him? 

 

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Now it's John's turn, and he's rowing well! 

Keep going John!

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And Ali appears to have broken the rowing machine...he was just too good.

9:23pm

BBC Tees presenters, Ali Brownlee and John Foster are hoping to follow in Kat Copeland's footsteps and row their way to £10,000 for Future Sport.

9:22pm

 

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9:19pm

Some fundraising fun now with The Northern Echo's chief sports writer, Scott Wilson. 

 

9:18pm

Senior Team/Club Of The Year
Winner: Deerness Gymnastics Academy

Deerness Gymnastics Academy saved their leisure centre from public sector cuts and have goneon to wina number of fantastic awards.

They also won the ITV show, Let's Get Gold, and opened tonight's awards.

Very well deserved! Well done! 

9:15pm

The last award before we go for a quick break is the senior award for team or club of the year, sponsored by Tees Active.

9:14pm

Unsung Hero
Winner: Leo Taylor


 

From Wingate, he is the lynchpin of Castle Eden Cricket Club. He has been club secretary since 1982 and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the clubhouse. 

He's also a key fundraiser, raising enough money to send the club's junior section on six summer tours.

Well done Leo! 

9:10pm

Next up is theUnsung Hero Award, sponsored by BMI Woodland. 

9:10pm

Unfortunately she couldn't be at the awards tonight as she's in Australia!

Instead the lady who nominated her, Wendy Glasper, is collecting the award on her behalf. 

Congratulations Barbara! 

9:08pm

Sir Bobby Robson Leading Light
Winner: Barbara Borwell

Barbara Borwell scoops the award for her work with visually impaired tennis players across the North-East. 

 

9:06pm

Now we've got the Sir Bobby Robson Leading Light Award, sponsored by Virgin Money. It recognises those who guide others, pioneer, and inspire. 

9:01pm

The marquee erupts into cheers and applause as the audience relives the winning moment from the summer.

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Sporting Excellence (Senior)
Winner: Kat Copeland

This year's winner is golden girl, Kat Copeland. 

21-year-old Kat from Ingleby Barwick wowed us all at this year's London 2012 Olympics when she won gold in the double skulls with her partner, Sophie Hosking. 

Well done Kat!

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8:56pm

Next up is the senior award for sporting excellence, sponsored by Darlington Building Society. 

8:54pm

Remarkable Achievement Award (Senior)
Winner: Rosie Pybus

The 20-year-old is a North-East visually impaired tennis champion and devots much of her time to coaching other blind tennis groups across the country.

Congratulations Rosie! 

8:51pm

The first award is the senior award for remarkable achievement, sponsored by Northumbrian Water. 

8:50pm

Right, that's dinner done! Now it's time to get presenting the awards.

But first, we've got a special message from Olympic gold medal winning long jumper, Greg Rutherford. 

8:33pm

Olympic gold medallist Kat Copeland signs autographs

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Acropolis from Deerness Gymnastics Club kick off the show

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Steve Cram with a message for nominees

7:34pm

Acropolis from Deerness Gymnastics Club wowed the crowds to kick off the ceremony.

7:11pm

Well, it's now time for dinner - smells delicious! We'll be back shortly with more updates from tonight's awards.

7:08pm

We're delighted to have other sporting VIPs here tonight, including Sunderland Football Club star, Adam Johnson, Hartlepool United Manager, John Hughes and Darlington Football Club Manager, Martin Gray.

7:04pm

Our North-East Olympians join Peter on stage to kick off tonight's celebrations.

7:02pm

Oh, he's made it, and in one piece too.

Thanks to Charlie Donaghy for lending Peter his track suit and Olympic torch, and everyone else who helped make the film. 

6:55pm

Chief Sports Writer at The Northern Echo, Scott Wilson, takes to the stage as editor, Peter Barron hasn't made it yet. Wonder what's happened...

6:49pm

Host Peter Barron cuts it fine for the launch of the ceremony. Will he make it in time?

6:43pm

Just three minutes to go, the marquee's almost full and we're ready for a great celebration of grassroots sport in the North-East! 

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Guests are starting to arrive and being shown to their tables. The marquee looks fantastic and there's a great atmosphere already. 

Not long until kick-off...

2:34pm

We'll be reporting live from the Local Heroes Awards at Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield, tonight from 6.30pm.

Follow the ceremony here at the Northern Echo website in our live blog with updates throughout the night and pictures and video clips from within the venue.

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