We’ve been inundated with nominations for people who go above and beyond to make our town a better place to live and work, and every year it becomes more difficult to select just three finalists in each category.But after much deliberation, this year’s finalists are listed below.Congratulations to you all.

Proud of Barnsley 2016 Shortlist  

Young Superstar

Harley and Grace MartinThese big-hearted youngsters donated their beloved old toys and books to less fortunate children to open on Christmas morning.

Charley DysonEight-year-old Charley is the world’s youngest paid professional scooter rider.

Emily UnwinEmily suffers from goldenhar syndrome - which involves deformities of the face - and has had numerous problems since she was born including epilepsy.

Exceptional Achievement

Ben DaltonFireman Ben’s quick-thinking actions saved the life a man who collapsed on the street after suffering a massive heart attack.

Tala Lee-TurtonBallerina Tala is only the third British woman to graduate from the elite Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia in its 243-year history.

Les BinnsLes gave up his dream of reaching the top of Mount Everest just a few hundred metres from the summit so he could save the life of a stranger who was in trouble.

Volunteer

Barry JohnsonBarry is a member of the Army Cadet Force. He joined when he was 15 and is almost 75. This year is his 60th year of service.

Terry HaynesTerry joined St John Ambulance in 1963 and is a founder member of the Grimethorpesection. He was on duty for the wedding of Princess Anne, Trooping The Colour and Commonwealth Games.

Goff GriffithsGoff Griffiths is chairman of, and runs, the Churchfield Branch of the Royal British Legion. He also organises the poppy appeal every year. He has been involved in the Civic Trust and various other community groups.

Children’s Champion

Major John LomasMajor John Lomas is the officer commanding Birdwell’s Humberside and South Yorkshire Army Cadet Force detachment and helps children and young people in our community learn unique values and skills while making new friends and building self-confidence.

Jonathan BeanThe number of children taking part in sports and exercise at Churchfield Primary in Cudworth has risen massively thanks to Jonathan. This has had a positive impact on the children, their attitudes to school, their own health and well being and the community.

Bill WinstanleyBill has been part of Royston Dynamos JFC for more than 15 years and has been a manager for 11. He is there, come rain or shine, coaching, supporting and encouraging children to work hard, work together and be part of a team, as well as helping them to achieve amazing things.

Sporting Achievement

Horizon U15 Girls’ Cricket teamThe Horizon Community College under 15s girls’ cricket team entered the Lady Taverners indoor cup - which is seen as the pinnacle of girls cricket at school. They beat off competition from more than 800 schools to be crowned champions.

Sue GilroyThe table tennis star made it through her Paralympic group for the first time in her five Games before losing the bronze medal match and finishing fourth.

Ian SagarThe Hoyland Common man was the top-scorer for Great Britain’s wheelchair basketball team at the Rio Paralympics, in which they won a bronze medal.

Carer

Joanne BaughJoanne’s four children all have additional needs. Bradley was born with half his heart missing and underwent a double heart bypass in 2008. Her sons Thomas and Ben have autism and her youngest son Jake is being observed for autism. She cares for them on her own.

Heidi HunterHeidi was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago. She divides her time between working at the Rotherham Hospice and taking care of her son, Jacob, who suffers from cerebral palsy and autism.

Rachel Dickinson-SargiesonRachel’s five children all have medical problems, ranging from epilepsy to lung disease, which means that she has dedicated her time to countless hospital appointments across Barnsley, Sheffield and Leeds.

Sybil DaveySybil is 85-years-old and cares for her daughter Lorraine, who is 52 and has Down’s Syndrome and dementia, at home rather than putting her into full time care.

Start-up

Kelly-Marie LoadesKelly-Marie is the owner of Something Sweet and hires out traditional vintage sweet carts, a popcorn machine and milkshake bar to wedding receptions.

Pura CosmeticsThe business is run by two 16-year-old friends, Kaylee Scholefield and Rose Dyson, who have just left Horizon school after completing their GCSE exams, both of which have done excellent. It is a lip balm and lip scrub business, using all natural products.

Roxana WhitemanNurse Roxana founded social enterprise Uncover after her friend Gareth Wilmot was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 36. Uncover uses creative arts and crafts to improve the health and wellbeing of people community and in care homes.

Charity fundraising team

Joe Pugh and Leah WashingtonThe couple had to learn to walk again after the horrific crash on the Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers which cost Leah her leg and shattered Joe’s knees. They have raised about £30,000 for for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue, University Hospitals of North Midlands (Stoke hospital) and Midlands Air Ambulance.

West Stand BogsWest Stand Bogs is a community trust set up to support Barnsley business and charities. Over the last couple of seasons, the group has £40,000 for various charities.

BIADS Friday Fundraising TeamThe team has raised thousands of pounds for BIADS through posing for a WI-style calendar, themed events, raffles, a race day, and a Last Night at the Proms event. They are currently selling Christmas cards designed by their grandchildren and hope to raise £5,000.

SchoolHoyland Common PrimaryThe school is recognised by Ofsted as ‘outstanding’ but as ‘special’ by the children and parents in the local community. It is not just the academic results which makes the school a special place to learn but the way all children are encouraged to be the best they can in whatever area they thrive in.

Carlton Community CollegeTHREE years ago the school was the bottom of the class with just 29 per cent of pupils leaving with A*-C grade GCSEs including maths and English and now Outwood Academy Carlton has rapidly improved with 63 per cent gaining five good grades, putting it up there with the best schools in the borough, Penistone Grammar and Horizon Community College.

Darfield Upperwood AcademyThe school has been highly praised in its latest Ofsted and the determination and focus of the headteacher and deputy head, strong quality of teaching, pupil behaviour and a well-planned curriculum were all noted by inspectors.

Community Hero

Gaynor CrossGaynor has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) but it didn’t stop her from setting up Jenga Training C.I.C in Grimethorpe, which supports young mothers and young people that are long-term unemployed.

Colin DobsonColin offers subsidised exercise classes and one-to-one personal training to clients with disabilities and conditions like autism. In March of this year he raised more than £20,000 through investments, Crowdfunding and his own money to expand his gym to offer more classes to those in need.

Tony BattyTony, a barber, devotes his spare time to visiting terminally ill cancer patients to cut their hair and give them a shave. He does not charge and goes out of his way, often after long shifts, to help them feel better about themselves.

Ged BrearleyGed led the team of volunteers who helped restore Claire Throssell’s house in Penistone following the tragic fire which claimed both her sons’ lives.

Hospital Hero

Ward 14The staff have been nominated by Victoria Slater whose baby sadly died between 12 and 13 weeks. She said the care she received from that point onwards was exceptional and beyond anything she could ever repay.

Dennis KingAnd as a volunteer ambulance driver Dennis has been giving people lifts for ten years.

Janet CurryJanet is a volunteer in the outpatients cafe, who not only gives her time to volunteer at the hospital but also spends a lot of her time fundraising for Barnsley hospital charity and the Tiny Hearts appeal.

Community Group

Friends of Wombwell CemeteryThe Friends of Wombwell Cemetery have been nominated for the outstanding work they have undertaken over the last 14 years to transform Wombwell’s cemetery.

Royston and Carlton Community PartnershipThe partnership formed in the 1990s to help lift the area out of recession following the demise of the mining industry. This year is its 21st anniversary.

Darton Afternoon ClubThe club was set up by Ann Plant who recognised there were hardly any activities for older people living in Darton. The launch event saw 50 people attend and Ann got Milly Johnson to open the club.

Charity Fundraiser

Danny Beever of the Lily Grace Cunliffe FoundationDanny has worked to send poorly children and their families on holiday through the foundation which was set up following the death of his granddaughter Lily aged three.

Rebecca BartonFollowing the death of their daughter Mia to meningitis, Rebecca and her partner Matt have thrown themselves into raising money for Meningitis Now. Rebecca is also campaigning for the meningitis vaccine to become available to all under 5s.

Jonathan BoothAfter being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Jonathan, 36, set himself the challenge of cycling 1,000 miles John O’Groats to Land’s End in 15 days to raise money for Weston Park Cancer Charity.

Triumph over Adversity

Mia ParkMia suffers from hypokalemic periodic paralysis, an extremely rare condition which renders her completely unable to move, usually from the neck down, and sometimes for long periods of time.

Claire ThrossellClaire, 44, was left devastated after her two children, Jack and Paul, were killed in a house fire started by their own father. She vowed to do whatever she could to make sure no other family would suffer they way she has.

Wayne MarshallWayne has overcome a leg amputation, fought cancer, and went on to organise a charity music festival which raised more than £3,000.

Love Where You Live

Springvale Community GardenThe four acre site on two sides of the River Don has seen a complete transformation since it closed in 2006. It’s now a firm fixture in the community, known for it's fruit, veg and plants, as well as its volunteering opportunities. It is a charity in its own right with the aim of providing education about growing and healthy eating, conservation and purposeful recreation.

Friends of Wilthorpe ParkThe group has transformed Wilthorpe Park from an unloved, underused space in to a place for anyone and everyone to enjoy. It boasts a new children’s play area, planting areas, seating and a picnic table and hosts a range of community events. The Saturday morning gardening club always has people and children swapping plants and bringing vegetables for each other. There are also lots of markings, such as a big snakes and ladders board and a cycle path.

Dodworth Village Community GroupThe group was set up by community-spirited volunteers to help improve and preserve the village. It includes people of all ages and backgrounds who have different skills. The group has taken part in several litter-picks and cleared away bagful after bagful of rubbish which had been dropped. Members cleaned rubbish and weeds out of some raised beds to plant them up and also litter and spirit bottles from behind the Fairway hotel.