ONLY six trophies remain unclaimed as the final round of the Glasgow Community Champion Awards is held tonight.

Our search for unsung heroes has taken us to ten areas across the city, where we've heard inspiring stories of those striving to improve the lives of others.

Everyone is welcome to join in the celebrations this evening as the winners and nominees from the Greater Pollok area gather at Pollok Community Centre.

Tonight will be a chance to meet the finalists and representatives from the awards partners, including Strathclyde Police, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Community Planning Partnership.

Our email inbox and postbag have brimmed with nominations for outstanding individuals and groups making a difference in the south west of the city.

Today, we can reveal the 17 groups and individuals who have made the shortlist.

The free awards ceremony takes place from 6pm at Pollok Community Centre, Langton Road. You can also chat to Evening Times Community News Editor Helen Smith and find out more about our 80 dedicated community websites.

All 60 city-wide winners from the 10 areas will be invited to a gala final at the City Chambers in October. INDIVIDUAL AWARD

Our first Individual finalist NANCY COOPER hasn't let ailing health halt her.

Despite being diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer, the 81-year-old continues to run a disabled person's lunch club in South Nitshill, where she has been a community activist for 28 years.

FIONA MAGENNIS has acted as a volunteer advisor and admin support worker with Greater Pollok Citizens Advice Bureau since 2004.

The 50-year-old, who has a lung condition that affects her mobility, volunteers three days a week.

DANNY RAFFERTY ensured the newly-refurbished Langton Activity Huts remained a valued leisure and training resource.

Pollok man Danny saved the huts from closure and has campaigned successfully for funding for much-needed repairs. He also sits on the boards of Pollok Citizens Advice Bureau, Old Pollok Tenants' and Residents' Association and Hillwood Boys Football Club. TEAM AWARD

SOUTH WEST COMMUNITY TRANSPORT relies on a team of paid and voluntary workers to transport the elderly and disabled.

Its fully-accessible fleet of five minibuses provide low-cost or free transport to clients' regular social activities, shopping trips and hospital visits.

The team at POLLOK CREDIT UNION are settling into their new home - located in a prime spot in Silverburn Shopping Centre.

Since opening in 1993, it now boasts more than 9000 members and has lent over £15million.

From its base in a community flat in Kennishead, the GREATER POLLOK INTEGRATION NETWORK helps asylum seekers and refugees integrate with the community through a range of projects. PUBLIC SERVICE INDIVIDUAL AWARD

Staff and pupils of St Paul's High School in Pollok make up three of the 17 finalists in the Greater Pollok area.

Pastoral Care and Enterprise teacher RONNIE MARTIN is committed to promoting strong community cohesion through the school's Active Citizenship programme.

Land and Environmental Services worker STEVIE GRANT is responsible for driving forward the use of parks in the area.

As the supervisor of the Community Action Team, he strives to improve play facilities and campaigned for more multi-purpose games areas. PUBLIC SERVICE TEAM AWARD

The 33-strong staff of POLLOK COUNTRY PARK are responsible for maintaining Glasgow's biggest park, a 361-acre site last year named Europe's best park.

Strathclyde Fire & Rescue has two important centres in its fire safety armoury - and one of these is McGILL HOUSE SAFETY CENTRE in Pollok.

There, the community safety staff deliver programmes to young people, as well as collaborating with groups and schools.

A south-west initiative is empowering those with mental health issues to take an active role in improving their health and well-being.

The WHAT I NEED IN LIFE (WIN Project) encourages clients to take positive steps towards learning, training and employment. NEIGHBOUR AWARD

A friendly neighbour can always be called upon but CAROLINE McFARLANE offers so much more in the assistance she provides to an elderly neighbour, Mary, 80.

Astham sufferer Caroline, 43, from Pollok, regularly checks in on Mary or pops out for groceries.

Mary's daughter Kathleen says: "She deserves a medal."

Mum-of-five DONNA FOOTE became active in her community 11 years ago to help improve services for families with children with learning disabilities or behavioural problems. Donna, 41, has a teenage daughter with learning difficulties.

Her work has since snowballed and she is now the voluntary manager of Levernwood Community Hall in Nitshill, organising a weekly youth club and managing South West Community Cycles, which will next year open a cycle hire and repair shop.

Since she was a teenage Guide leader, JEAN HONAN has always worked for her community.

A full-time social care worker, the 57-year-old from Pollok is also a director of the charity Ascend and chair of the local Community Reference Group. YOUNG COMMUNITY CHAMPION

Whether they're campaigning on road safety, making a film about litter, working with chefs to promote healthy eating, or organising a Christmas lunch for 40 pensioners, the pupils who make up ST PAUL'S HIGH COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS are always busy.

The citizenship work of St Paul's pupil DARREN KID took him all the way to Ecuador, where he helped prepare a site for a clinic to be built in a shanty town.

Hillpark Secondary pupil RAYMOND KILPATRICK volunteers at Priesthill and Nitshill Parish Church.

For the last three years, the 15-year-old from Priesthill has given up his free time to help out at the youth club and Flo's Cafe. Fiona Magennis Jean Honan Stevie Grant Ronnie Martin Darren Kidd Danny Rafferty