Calling all the heroes! The 2027 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards is launched today, as organisers ask you to help shine a light on the amazing people who deserve to be celebrated for all they do.
The prestigious event, one of the highlights in the Liverpool City Region calendar, will take place at The Grand, on Lord Street in Southport, on Friday 23rd April 2027.
Now’s the time to submit your nominations for who deserves to be recognised across 13 separate categories, each sponsored by a local business.
Nominate here: Pride Of Sefton Awards or email: [email protected]
The awards will be determined by a judging panel, based on the strength of each nomination.
If you’re interested in sponsoring an award, please let us know.
The 2026 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards was an emotive and uplifting event with a room packed with inspiring local heroes of all ages.
The Main Award winner, sponsored by Mikhail Hotel And Leisure Group, was won by Dr Karen Groves MBE who founded Queenscourt Hospice 35 years ago. Since then, Queenscourt has provided compassionate care to tens of thousands of families across Southport, Formby and West Lancashire.
Dr Groves accepted her award as she delivered a powerful call to action for the community to rally together to save Queenscourt Hospice, as it battles a £2 million funding deficit.
Other winners included Sergio Aguiar, Dad of Alice, who ran six World Marathon Majors – in Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo, Boston and London – in memory of his daughter, and to raise funds for Alice’s WonderDance. He won the Sefton Charity Champion Award sponsored by Halliwell Jones.
Liam Howard won the Sefton Courage Award sponsored by EFT Group after he saved the life of a much-loved grandfather in the NCP car park on London Street in Southport.
Queenscourt Hospice Fundraising Manager Liz Hartley won the Sefton Community Impact Award sponsored by Carlsberg, presented by Merseyside Lord Lieutenant Peter Oliver OBE, thanks to her tireless fundraising work for the hospice.
Linaker Primary School in Southport won the Sefton School of The Year Award sponsored by Southport Education Group, while the Southport Hookers took home the Sefton Arts Award trophy sponsored by Fitton Estates after they earned worldwide acclaim through creating a stunning life-size Supermarine Spitfire – made from crochet .
Sefton Child Of Courage Awards, sponsored by Cooper Parry Accountants, went to Harrison Dale, Penelope Vidal-Walsh, Holly Barnes and Llewyn Sunderland .
The Young Sportsperson of the Year title, sponsored by Merseyrail went to Noah Cunningham, Caiden Thistleton and Hendro Hattingh, while the Sefton Sportsperson of The Year Award sponsored by Solarcrown went to netball club founder Jenny Taylor.
Mayor of Sefton Cllr June Burns presented the Sefton Business in the Community Award sponsored by In Demand Radio to My Mind Matters CIC which runs The Bakehouse in Southport; the Sefton Diversity and Inclusion Award sponsored by Sefton Council went to Diane and Byron Chapman who run Southport Off-key Choir; the Sefton Unsung Hero Award sponsored by Fletchers Solicitors was won by Andrea McGee; and the Sefton Lifetime Achievement / Special Recognition Award sponsored by LWC went to Kenny O’Brien.
Who would you like to see win these accolades this year?
The Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards wants to recognise local heroes of all ages from across Sefton, in a wide range of categories.
The event is organised by Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group and Stand Up For Southport, with media support from In Demand Radio.
The previous awards events have raised thousands of pounds for the ICU Steps Appeal with the Southport Together appeal being an additional beneficiary in 2025.
Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Chairman Andrew Mikhail said:
“The Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards just gets bigger every year.
“We have so many unsung heroes across our community, who do what they do day in, day out, to make where we live such a special place.
“This is a night to treat them in style, celebrate what they do and to give them our thanks, as a community.
“This year’s Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards was a truly amazing night with a room full of very special people.
“Now it’s your turn – nominating couldn’t be easier, via the form on our website, or by email.
“I’d like to thank all our sponsors for supporting this magnificent event and making sure we can honour Sefton’s real heroes.”
There are 13 categories on offer in this year’s Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards.
Stand Up For Southport Director Andrew Brown said:
“I am always astonished to read some of the stories we receive for the Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards.
“People in Southport, Bootle, Crosby, Formby, Maghull and elsewhere are doing some extraordinary things, in such a selfless way, for the benefit of others.
“They are the unsung heroes, but our community wouldn’t be what it is without them.
“Now we need your help! Please message us and let us know who deserves to be honoured at a glittering night of celebration at The Grand.
“Do you know that unsung hero who does so much to help others? Someone who has shown bravery or courage? A school you’re proud of? A local sporting hero? Someone making a name in the arts world? A person making a difference to a local charity? Please let us know!
“Nominating is easy, either through our Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards website or through email: [email protected]
“We look forward to seeing all your nominations.”
Categories include:
1 – Main Award – Pride of Sefton
The night’s premier award will salute a person or organisation who judges believe has made a truly inspiring or outstanding contribution to Sefton over the past two years.
2 – Diversity and Inclusion Award
Sefton is a truly welcoming borough. We’d love to hear about those who have gone out of their way to promote diversity and inclusion within our area.
3 – Sefton Arts Award
Sefton wants to shout loud and proud about those who have achieved remarkable things in the world of stage, screen, and music. We want to hear about bright young things and those who have made it to the very top.
4 – Charity Champion Award
Charities local and nationally survive and thrive on the cash raised by big-hearted fundraisers. And they have really needed it in these tough times. We don’t just want to hear who has raised the most, but how they have done it, what difference has it made and why it has inspired you.
5 – Child of Courage Award
We are searching for nominees who have shown immense courage in the face of adversity. Courage comes in different shapes – is it a child who has battled illness, performed an act of bravery or done something truly remarkable while up against the odds?
6 – Courage Award
Many tales of the heroism, courage or bravery of people from Sefton go untold – and we’d like to change that. Nominees could have performed a dramatic rescue or maybe they’ve overcome illness or injury to record inspiring achievements.
7 – Unsung Hero Award
Tell us about the person who makes a huge difference to our borough’s communities, organisations or teams but who rarely gets a spot in the limelight.
8 – Community Impact Award
Which person or organisation has had the biggest positive impact on their community? How have they made Sefton a better place or helped people? Have they used their heart as well as their business head to serve their area?
9 – Sportsperson of the Year
Whose achievements in the sporting arena have been the brightest over the past two years?
We want nominations from all sporting fields – from amateurs to professionals, and from coaches to players.
10 – Young Sportsperson of the Year
Which of Sefton’s sporting juniors have recorded the biggest achievement? In a borough with so much talent we would expect a deluge of entries. Tell us who stands out? (Nominees must not have reached their 19th birthday by 1st March.)
11 – Business In The Community Award
Businesses play a vital role in making our communities better for all. We’d like to celebrate all those who have made a real difference.
12 – School Of The Year Award
Schools are brilliant at getting involved in local issues. But which ones have gone further to really improve the world around them? We’d love to honour those that have.
13 – Lifetime Achievement / Special Recognition Award
This award recognises a person who has made an outstanding and lasting contribution to life in Sefton. There will be no shortlist for this title announced prior to this award – instead the judging panel will reflect on potential candidates during the process and the winner will be awarded on the night.
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Do you need advertising, PR or media support? Please message Andrew Brown or email: [email protected]
