Activists, actors, performers, business leaders and councillors from across Greater Manchester have come together to decide the inspirational people who will be recognised at the Pride of Manchester 2023 awards.
While the names of who will be named the Young Fundraiser of the Year or receive the Outstanding Bravery award can’t be revealed just yet, we’ve got an inside look behind the nomination process - and what we could expect from this year’s inspirational heroes.
Judges including The Royale Family actress Sue Johnston, performer Jsky, Professor Erinma Bell MBE, actor Chris Bisson, and comedian John Thompson were all in attendance at The Kimpton Clocktower Hotel to discuss this year’s nominees between them.
Celebrating Greater Manchester’s unsung heroes who have gone above and beyond to make a difference for others, the awards are a chance to support and encourage those who have either performed a single act of bravery, endured a long-lasting battle against the odds, or been inspirational and influential in their campaign work.
Nominations for the awards, which will be held at a lavish ceremony in May, closed last week after being open since December. Eight trophies will be handed out at the red carpet event, including the Emergency Services Award and the TSB Community Hero prize.
Previous winners have included Jane Gregory, who set up the Salford Survivors group after two local women were murdered by their abusive ex-partners, and 15-year-old Liam Preece who received the Teenager of Courage award for his upbeat YouTube channel following his bone cancer diagnosis.
Amongst this year’s judging panel was Professor Erinma Bell MBE, the councillor for Moss Side who was recognised at last year’s ceremony with the Spirit of Manchester award for her work to counter growing gun and gang violence in south Manchester.
Reach plc's Head of National Events Michelle Linaker, editorial director Shiraz Lalani, TSB's Chief Marketing Officer Emma Springham and Manchester Evening News editor Sarah Lester made up the rest of the judging panel for the 2023 awards.
This year, singer and radio presenter Jsky celebrates three years on the judging panel for the Pride of Manchester Awards. He described the event as ‘such a proud moment for our great city’.
“The Pride of Britain, and in particular the Pride of Manchester Awards in my opinion are such an important date in the calendar because they celebrate our unsung heroes,” Jsky told the M.E.N.
“We are living in what can be quite worrying times for many following the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. The power of everyday people doing incredible things cannot be overstated.
“This is the third year that I've been invited to be a judge for the Pride of Britain for their Pride of Manchester event and I'm always inspired by the stories that have been captured within the nominations.”
Jsky teased that this year’s winners are an ‘incredible’ mix of heroes, and coming to the decision for who should receive each of the eight awards was just as difficult as ever.
“When it comes to making a pitch for each category, I tend to lead with my heart but also try to think about the overall message and the impact winning could have,” he explained.
“It is difficult sometimes to settle on a winner though. All of the shortlisted nominations are just so powerful. This year's winners are such an incredible mix, I don't think there's going to be a dry eye in the building when it comes to the night of the event.”
Read next:
The magical hotel straight out of Harry Potter 40 minutes from Greater Manchester
- The gorgeous Tudor hall an hour from Manchester perfect for a family day out
- From Stockport Pyramid to the pillars of the Rochdale Canal... the seven wonders of Greater Manchester
- The beautiful Lake District village with colourful cottages worth the drive from Manchester
