A FURRY favourite of York City football club has been nominated for a top award for his dedicated work raising money for charity.

Alex Bedingham, the man inside the costume of the club’s mascot Yorkie the Lion, has been nominated in the Charity Fundraiser of The Year category of this year’s Community Pride Awards.

The awards, now in their sixth year, are run by The Press in conjunction with the City of York Council. They are a celebration of individuals and groups whose work marks them out as champions of the place where we live and work.

Alex, 25, who is also a member of the York Hearts Supporters Club, has “given countless days and nights”, to raising thousands of pounds for the Cancer Research UK charity, says the club’s chairman, Ian Warner, who nominated Alex for the award.

Despite juggling life with newborn baby daughter, Mia Summer, Alex has been instrumental in organising charity events to boost the coffers of the charity.

“Alex has been the driving force behind our charity efforts this year, and has helped raise thousands of pounds for charity,” said Mr Warner.

“Last autumn, he persuaded 20 of us to run 10K, in aid of cancer research, successfully badgering us all into training and sponsorship.

“We also raised money at a dinner and disco on St Andrew’s night in November, allowing us to collect more than £3,000 for the charity. Alex has organised all this and given countless days and nights helping us to dig deep for such a good cause.

“Alex has managed all this at the same time as being a dad to a new baby girl, and while continuing his remarkable record of not missing a single York City home game for 19 years.

“His dedication to charity over the past year and been remarkable and his efforts deserve recognition.”

To nominate an unsung hero from our community fill in the coupon. Send a (nonreturnable) picture of your nominee, plus any other information, to Community Pride Awards, Paula Homer, The Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN or email us at editor@thepress.co.uk

We also still need sponsors for our awards. If you know a business interested in helping give recognition to York heroes by sponsoring an award category, phone Julia Matson on 01904 653051, ext 250.