Meet the community heroes and projects in the final of The Guide Liverpool Heroes

The strength of our communities is one of the things that makes Liverpool City Region special, so we had to recognise them in our Guide Heroes 2025 awards.

They prove every single day what it’s possible to achieve when we come together and support each other.

There are so many brilliant people and projects that we created two categories for nominations – Community Project and Community Hero.

The winners, chosen by a public vote, will be revealed at our Guide Heroes 2025 awards ceremony at Titanic Hotel on Friday November 21, brought to you by Liverpool Cruise Port, in partnership with San Carlo Restaurants.

But all those shortlisted deserve massive credit for what they do so we wanted to share more about our community finalists …

Community Project Finalists

Central Waste

Family-run company Central Waste goes beyond helping businesses manage their waste disposal and recycling in a sustainable way, it takes direct action to make communities better. In addition to helping fund community projects, and supporting the Come Together Christmas Appeal, Central Waste crews – in distinctive orange balaclavas – led volunteers in transforming local parks and play areas including Newsham Park, Aigburth Vale Park and Everton Park.

Kitty’s Laundrette

Kitty’s Laundrette is more than a place to wash clothes – it’s a vibrant, welcoming community hub in the heart of Anfield. Opened in 2019 by a group of local residents after a successful Kickstarter campaign, the co-op aims to tackle social isolation and hygiene poverty with a programme including film nights, knitting groups and social history projects as well as subsidised laundry services for people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

Protect Scouse Dolls

Protect Scouse Dolls is a community-led fund and service network, rooted in Liverpool and dedicated to the wellbeing and collective freedom of the Trans+ community. Partnering with Liverpool Dolls Social Group, it launched an Essential Care Fund providing urgent support with housing, food, healthcare costs, and more. Protect Scouse Dolls also sponsors the Trans + Enby Football Club in Liverpool and its T-shirts have a high-profile fan base!

The Florrie

The Florrie is a historic landmark of Liverpool life, bringing the community together every day. It hosts events and provides vital support, as well as more than 30 hours of free activities each week from French lessons to guitar and men’s walking groups where people can meet, learn new skills, and have fun. It also gives 600-plus guitarists the chance to play at annual mass acoustic jam, The Big Guitar-In, to help keep activities free.

Celebration Concert for Zoe’s Place

A Celebration of Liverpool Zoe’s Place at the Arena in July united Liverpool through music, thanking all those who saved the hospice from closure and raising funds for its next chapter, providing much-needed specialist care for babies and children. The one-night-only concert, in front of a crowd of over 9,000, was supported by Jamie Webster, The Zutons, Lightning Seeds, comedian Paul Smith, Jonny Bongo and DJ Billie Clements and more.

Community Hero Finalists

Fans Supporting Foodbanks

Fans Supporting Foodbanks is a joint initiative between Liverpool and Everton supporters, proving again what we already know in this city, that some things are more important than football rivalry. Founded in 2015 by The Blue Union & Spirit of Shankly to tackle food poverty in Liverpool with pre-match donations, over the past decade Fans Supporting Food Banks has helped to develop a network of fan-driven foodbanks across the UK.

James Riley – The Gangs Man

James Riley is a well-known community figure who for 10 years has been educating and inspiring young people to take control of their future by rejecting the gang lifestyle. Affectionately known in the city as The Gangs Man, after working as a specialist Probation Officer with those involved locally in street gangs and organised crime groups, James designed a Get Away N Get Safe programme which is delivered to young people aged 10 upwards.

Michelle O’Dwyer, Bay Tree Cookery Academy CIC

Bay Tree Cookery CIC embraces the mix of cultures across Merseyside and takes the culinary recipes of those cultures to teach all ages how to cook from scratch, allowing people to be better fed on a budget. At Christmas, Bay Tree also supports hundreds of people from diverse communities across Merseyside, hosting a completely free Christmas Day Community Dinner with lunch, presents, music, entertainment, and food hampers to go.

Paula Gunn, Tom Harrison House

Paula is the founder of the Tom Harrison House charity based in Anfield, named after her grandfather, a distinguished World War II veteran. The centre was established in 2014 by Paula in response to the lack of military-specific addiction services in the UK. She dedicates an enormous amount of time and energy into helping and mentoring veterans, getting them off the streets and into recovery so they can live proud, happy lives again.