IT was another heartwarming evening at the Halliwell Jones Stadium last night, Thursday, as winners were announced in our 2017 Inspiration Awards.

It was our fifth annual event acknowledging the town’s wonderful foster carers, volunteers and charity champions.

Click the gallery above to see pictures from the night. For full coverage don't miss next week's Warrington Guardian. 

Winners on the night included:

FOSTER CARERS OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

KIRSTY AND MARK ALGIE

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

ROZ AND WARREN WHALLEY

KAREN AND GLYN LOWE

DIANNE AND GEOFF BAKER

SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

BRYAN FORTH

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

BRIAN CHAMBERS

ELLIOT DILLON

YOUNG CHARITY CHAMPION

DEMI HOLMES

TEENAGER OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

ELLEN HOUGHTON

CHARITY CHAMPION

SUSAN CRANK

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

ANDY BRETHERTON

PAUL HEESOM

CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY

WINNER:

BUDDY UP TEAM, WARRINGTON YOUTH CLUB

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

DOLLY’S HABERDASHERY AND SEWING SCHOOL

MIKE GRANTHAM

VERONICA HUDSON

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

RICHARD SINNOTT

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

JEAN FITZPATRICK

BEN LLOYD

CHRISTINE MCDERMOTT

CHARITY OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

THE SHANNON BRADSHAW TRUST

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

SURVIVORS ASSISTANCE NETWORK, OPERATED BY THE TIM PARRY JOHNATHAN BALL PEACE FOUNDATION

NORTH WEST FORGET ME KNOTS AND RAINBOWS

TEACHER/TEACHING ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

DEBORAH CHRONAKIS

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

DAVID SUTCLIFFE

GAIL STUBBINGS

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

WINNER:

JOHN GARTSIDE