Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Our Pride and joy...
Carol launches The Mirror’s 2017 awards at Commons... and gets to cuddle nominee’s new baby
THE countdown to the Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards 2017 started yesterday with rival MPS uniting to celebrate unsung heroes at a star-studded event at the Houses of Parliament.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Tory Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable joined scores of politicians from all parties and TV stars for the reception at John Bercow’s historic Speaker’s House.
Host Carol Vorderman, who has presented Pride of Britain since it started 18 years ago, welcomed the regional finalists of the TSB Community Partner Award, which celebrates amazing people who help others across the country.
Nominee Chris Gilchrist, a breakdancer who realised his skills could be used to help bored youngsters in Plymouth with his own dancing workshop, brought along the youngest guest, his four-week son Kaiden, who got a cuddle from Carol, and partner Sophie Gullick.
Thrilled Carol said: “Pride of Britain winners are the unsung heroes that make Britain a great place. It’s a privilege to be joined by some fantastic community champions from all over Britain.” Mr Javid told guests: “It’s more inspiring than ever to have people who go absolutely out of their way to help others and to help their local communities to bring people together.
“They are standing up, making a difference, ignoring the cynics and the critics and they are getting on with making the world a better place. I think actually here in Parliament we could do with a few more examples like that .”
Mr Corbyn called our awards “absolutely brilliant”. He said: “They reward people who’ve made great sacrifices to help others. They might have completed acts of heroism like pulling someone from a burning car, or it might be someone