WOULD you like to give someone who has shown exceptional bravery or daring a well-deserved pat on the back?

We're looking for your nominations for our Act of Courage Award.

Celebrating some of the town’s unsung heroes, our Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards nominees will gather at The Halliwell Jones Stadium in November to enjoy a two-course meal before prizes are handed out.

This year’s categories include teacher of the year, sportsman, contribution to the community, teenager, charity champion, charity of the year, act of courage, volunteer and our special inspiration lifetime achievement award.

Here's a look back at what happened after last year's Act of Courage winners Lynette and Craig Mathieson picked up their award:

HISTORY was made when parents Craig and Lynette Mathieson successfully challenged the law surrounding disabled children’s benefit payments in the Supreme Court in memory of their son Cameron.

The couple from Hood Manor, whose son spent most of his life in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital with a rare combination of genetic conditions, faced a four-and-a-half-year battle to overturn the injustice they and many others faced.

Almost 1,000 families were affected each year by a rule that removed Disability Living Allowance (DLA) from disabled children under 18 if they spent 84 days or more in hospital.

One year on from the ruling, the couple, who met while at university, were presented with the Act of Courage accolade at the Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards for their inspiring efforts.

“We did not expect to get this as we read online about what the police officer had done and how he saved someone’s life,” said 47-year-old Lynette.

“I have never publicly spoken about the case that Craig and I fought very hard for in the name of our son. Simply because I keep crying about it. 

“It is the first time in British legal history that a case has won of this nature in the Supreme Court. Craig managed to get a 5-0 win with the judges and it is an amazing legacy to our son who is no longer with us, but it is also an amazing legacy to his dad. 

“I speak on behalf of myself and our other children when we say how proud we are.”

Cameron lost his battle in 2012, aged 12. His death was a devastating loss for the family but they refused to give up. 

“We started it when we still had Cam with us so therefore there was a reason,” added Lynette.

“It was really hard to keep going once we lost him. 

“It was down to Craig and his absolute belief that we would win. The cost was looking like it was going to be really high – we had lost Cam and we thought can we lose any more?”

But knowing there were others out there kept the family fighting for change. Craig, 46, added:

“We were the only people who had come along in 26 years who had a chance to turn it round and stop others from going through what we went through.”

“I would not have been able to look at myself in the mirror if I walked away. 

“I’m blessed to have a family that enabled me to do that. 

“Now they are enabling me to go back to university to study law so I can do it again for anyone else who needs it.”

Craig is now in his second year at the University of Salford and put his determination down to the support of his wife, children Georgia, 20, Ben, 19, Guy, 11, and the legacy of Cameron.

How to nominate:

Just tell us who you are nominating and why that person should win.

Keep your nominations to 100 words or less and include your contact details, and if possible, those of the person you are nominating.

Nominations can be emailed with the subject Inspiration Awards to maureen.friday@nqnw.co.uk or write to Inspiration Awards, Newsdesk, The Warrington Guardian, Unit 4, 240 Cygnet Court, Warrington, WA1 1PP.

For full details regarding this year's categories, click here.