THE name of the awards says it all - and the winners truly are the pride of our community.

Last night's York Community Pride ceremony at York Racecourse celebrated the unsung heroes who quietly and unobtrusively dedicate themselves to working for other people, or who show unusual courage in difficult circumstances.

These awards, organised by the Evening Press and City of York Council, are only in their first year but have already proved to be a great success.

Ordinary people who go about their lives in an extraordinary way have been recognised for their often unsung achievements.

In an age when it is all too easy to be negative, the award winners illustrate a wider picture in which dedicated individuals are making their communities work. These people show the positive side of the age we live in, when caring for others or working towards a greater whole still goes on all around us.

Pride in your community can take many shapes. For Rosy Garnett, from Chapelfields, York, it was an acutely personal matter. When she was saddled with "neighbours from hell", the mother-of-four resolutely set about keeping a record of the antisocial activities that were ruining her life.

Rosy's actions in helping to tackle a problem blighting her neighbourhood have earned her praise from Prime Minister Tony Blair, a Home Office Taking A Stand commendation and an award of £1,000.

All of which proves that pride in our community is still very much alive.

Updated: 09:53 Thursday, December 02, 2004