Pride of Britain Awards

2018 Winner Graham Wylie Businessman and philanthropist Graham Wylie has became one of the North East’s most successful businessmen after co-founding The Sage Group, the UK’s biggest software company in 1981. He retired from the firm in 2003 and founded Technology Services Group (TSG) as well as buying Close House in Northumberland, now one of […]

2018 Winner Mark and Lisa Rutherford and Caroline Curry Teenage sweethearts Chloe Rutherford and Liam Curry, from South Shields, were killed when a suicide bomber targeted an Ariana Grande concert last May.  In the midst of their grief, their families were determined to achieve something positive in their memories. Chloe’s parents Mark and Lisa, and […]

2018 Winner Peter Woodmansey A street sweeper for 35 years, Peter Woodmansey officially retired 17 years ago – but he still spends two hours every day diligently sweeping the streets of Darlington. Known as ‘Pete the Sweep’, he has become a well-known and much-loved figure in the town for his voluntary street cleaning since leaving […]

2018 Winner West End Foodbank For many people the West End Food Bank in Newcastle provides a lifeline to surviving in austerity Britain. Set up by Michael Nixon and his late friend Steve Metcalfe in 2013 the food bank is now the biggest in Britain. Feeding around 55,000 people a year the food bank is […]

2018 Winner Lynn McManus Lynn from North Shields, is the founder of Pathways4All, a charity which provides recreational activities and support for children with disabilities and additional needs. Lynn and husband Terry, who also helps run the charity, have five birth children, and after becoming foster carers in 2001, have fostered and adopted four younger […]

2018 Winner Emily Owen Emily was just nine when an aerosol which was thrown into a garden fire exploded, causing serious facial injuries. She underwent plastic surgery, but has been left with a large scar on her face. At one point Emily’s mum was forced to remove all the mirrors from her home to save […]