Some of the town’s most dedicated “forgotten heroes” gathered at UCLan’s Victoria Mill in Trafalgar Street last night for a heart-warming evening of celebration. The winners and highly commended nominees were recognised for their tireless voluntary work tackling issues and offering support across the health, community, and environmental sectors, and beyond.
Burnley Council chief executive Lukman Patel said: "Yesterday’s Above and Beyond Awards gave us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate some of the outstanding individuals across Burnley who give their time and energy selflessly. It was a privilege to recognise their incredible contributions and to showcase the impact they are making in our communities.
"My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who goes the extra mile to support others and make a difference. Your passion, kindness and commitment help make Burnley a stronger and more connected place to live."
The awards were organised and supported by Burnley Council, Burnley.co.uk, the Burnley Express, and Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Council for Voluntary Service.
Burnley Council leader Afrasiab Anwar said: "On behalf of Burnley Council, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the incredible volunteers who go above and beyond, day in and day out, to make our communities better, safer, greener, and truly great places to live. These unsung heroes give their time not for recognition, but simply to improve Burnley – and we are all the better for it. Our country is built on the dedication of volunteers, and these awards are just a small way of showing our deep appreciation. A sincere thank you as well to all our staff and partners who helped make this celebration such a special and successful evening."
And Burnley Express editor John Deehan added: "The kindness and selflessness of individuals and organisations in this town never ceases to make me smile. It’s impossible to hear about the work they do and not come away feeling moved and uplifted. The ironic thing is, nobody in this room tonight is here for adulation or recognition – but I think it's important we have evenings like this to show our appreciation and to inspire others.
"I'd also like to say thank you to the hard-working staff at the council and Burnley, Pendle & Rossendale Council For Voluntary Service – unsung heroes in their own right – who work behind the scenes to make events like this possible."
The full list of nominees for each award category are:
Young Volunteer
- Holly Craig
- Scarlett Heseltine
- Mollie Simpson
- Foysol Uddin
- Jeylan Chorley
- Alfie Hale
Green Issues/Environmental Health Champion
- Nature Warriors
- Stephen Greenwood
- Open Door Furniture Recycling
- Martyn Hurt
- Alaster and Tracy Hirst
Community Health & Wellness Champion
- Mark Smedley MS Angling and Education
- Basically Cheer CIC / Lianne Bruce
- Sean Cronian
- Foysol Uddin
- Father Alex Frost
- Lianne Bruce
- Padiham Junior Park Run
- Farah Imtiaz
- The Oasis
- Marion Wilkinson
- Pyramid Self-help Group
- Small Community Group
Small Community Group
- Albion Street
- Padiham Sports Club
- Burnley Empire Trust
- Smile Mediation
- Towneley Hall volunteers
- Phoenix RDS
- St Matthew’s Community Group
- The Oasis
- Pennine Lancashire Community Farm
- Basically Cheer
- Clayton Runners
- Chorley’s Angels First Aid Community Group for the work they do in Burnley
- Pyramid Self-help Group
Medium to Large Community Group
- New Neighbours Together
- BWA Advice
- Horses and Ponies Protection Association – HAPPA
- East Lancashire CAB
- Christians Against Poverty
- Incredible Edible
Community Cohesion Champion
- Mark Smedley MS Angling and Education
- Steven and Roxanne Whittaker
- Alamzeb ‘Buddy’ Khan
- Paul Ludditt
- Ruth Haygarth
- New Neighbours Together
- Ansa Taslim
- Downtown volunteers
Lifetime Achievement
- Padiham Sports Club
- Alan Smith – volunteer at Padiham Sport Hub
- Marion Wilkinson - a volunteer junior coach for over 20 years at Clayton-Le Moors running club
- Knights of St Columba
- Jenni Clough
- Eric and Hazel Wilkinson
- Barbara Ashworth
Before the ceremony kicked off, guests enjoyed an afternoon-style dinner by Simply Classic and were entertained by keyboardists Jennifer Chen, Jack Whitham and Maxwell Harwood Lomax from Janet’s Music School.
See our photo gallery for the winners and highly commended nominees:
1. Winners and highly commended
Winners and highly commended at the Above and Beyond Awards 2025 with the Mayor of Burnley Coun. Paul Reynolds. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
2. Young Volunteer winner
14-year-old Burnley student, Scarlett Heseltine, took home the Young Volunteer award. Scarlett was crowned Junior Miss Galaxy UK 2025/26 and will represent the UK in Orlando while using her platform, Let’s Talk Tourette’s, to raise awareness, support charities, and inspire others by showing that being different doesn’t limit your dreams. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
3. Young Volunteer highly commended
The Young Volunteer highly commended certificate went to Holly Craig. Holly was chosen for making a significant impact in her community by actively participating in cultural projects, showcasing her pride in Burnley through poetry and film. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
4. Green Issues Environment Health Champion winner
Open Door Furniture Recycling was crowned the Green Issues Environment Health Champion. It supports low-income families across East Lancashire with essential goods, reduces landfill waste through reuse, and promotes sustainability with the help of dedicated volunteers. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard