WINNERS: Bishopthorpe Road Traders Association

Runners-up: York Hospital Radio, Graham Bradbury and Ian Stevenson of the York Against Cancer Bus Service

In this category as with so many others, our judges were inundated with nominations for people who make life better for others in York. B

York Hospital Radio provide humour and friendship to people in hospital, Bishopthorpe Road traders have put York on the national news with their incredible community spirit, and the York Against Cancer bus service gives practical help to people facing a frightening diseas.

The judges praised the bus service's drivers Graham and Ian for bringing light to passengers’ lives and said: “It must feel like a miserable journey, and very lonely, but Graham and Ian transform that with their jokes and good humour.”

The hospital radio’s nomination said the service proves that “laughter really is the best medicine”.

But in the end the judges decided the Bishopthorpe Road traders – who have helped build a community around their street, seen it named one of the coolest neighourhoods in Britain, and hosted the national news on Tour de France day – deserved the prize.

The group's chairman Johnny Hayes said: "We've got a fantastic road, and it's a lovely place to be a shopkeeper."

Their work to transform Bishopthorpe Road into a thriving community has been a series of small steps, taken year after year, but this year with the hugely successful Tour de France street party has been "the biggest step yet", he added.

He said: "2014 has been a fantastic year, I would like to thank you this award - it will be very valued on Bishopthorpe Road."