GOLD STARS!

WE LOOK AT THIS YEAR’S WINNERS

SOME truly brilliant Bristolians were hailed at this year’s Bristol Post Gold Star Awards yesterday.

The campaign, which has been running across the Bristol Post since the summer, aimed to find the city’s brightest stars – from heroic lifesavers and service teams to caring young people and community figures. And we definitely found them. Winners from all 11 categories were invited to the lunchtime ceremony at the Bristol Harbour Hotel for some food and fizz before the official presentation.

Addressing the crowd of winners, friends and event sponsors, Sarah Pullen, regional managing director of Reach Plc, said: “On this cold and grey December day, the Christmas lights are on, the trees are up and the shopping streets are rammed.

“But for me, the real sign that Christmas is coming is the Bristol Post Gold Star Awards.

“This event has been running for 24 years now and has been a fixture in the Bristol calendar every December.

“We have some amazing winners. They are courageous, caring, brave and inspiring and they all have incredible stories to share with you.

“I’m sure this afternoon we will not have a dry eye in the house.”

The event was hosted by BBC Radio Bristol presenter Laura Rawlings. Customer experience director at headline sponsor Bank of Ireland, Tony Crane, also addressed the audience explaining why celebrating local heroes is so important to them.

Although we had already announced our category winners, we called on you – our readers – to vote for who you wanted to see take home the overall accolade.

The result was clear and we crowned the Stolen Motorcycle Recovery Bristol group the ultimate 2018 Gold Star Hero.

The winners:

» Amaarah Mian-Cudmore – Young Hero

Amaarah, at the tender age of 10, felt compelled to act after seeing people sleeping rough. She realised that a few basic items – such as socks, gloves and toiletries – could vastly improve the quality of their lives, and so set about persuading her friends at Redmaids’ High Junior School to help her put together backpacks.

» Stolen Motorcycle Recovery Bristol – Local Hero, sponsored by CR Windows

The Stolen Motorcycle Recovery Bristol group has been working hard to decrease the impact of motorcycle thefts on victims. The group goes above and beyond, reuniting owners with bikes and delivering them if necessary – they have even fixed and cleaned bikes for owners before returning them.

The group was also crowned overall 2018 Gold Star Hero – headline sponsored by Bank of Ireland.

» Rita Coles – Carer of the Year, sponsored by Brunelcare

Now 71, Rita Coles started fostering 20 years ago after her grown up children had left home and says she has no plans to stop any time soon. Even after losing her husband Michael four years ago, Rita is deter-