Community heroes honoured at Make a Difference

The BBC Radio Leeds 2025 Make A Difference award winners

People who make life better for others in their West Yorkshire communities have had their work honoured at the annual BBC Radio Leeds Make a Difference Awards.

The ceremony took place at the newly-opened Bradford Live venue for the first time and featured a judging panel that included Alan Titchmarsh CBE and the Paralympic athlete Dame Sarah Storey.

Make a Difference was set up during the Covid pandemic to recognise and celebrate everyday, unsung heroes.

Errol Hamlet, 72, winner of the Active Award, said he was "on top of the world".

Mr Hamlet founded walking group 'We In Front', primarily made up of people from Huddersfield's West Indian community, during the pandemic. The group now has more than 30 members and meets four times a week.

He described the health and social project as "Last of the Summer Wine - Jamaican-style".

Members of We In Front said Mr Hamlet was a "one-off" with a 'magnetic personality" who kept the group together.

Jake and Rosie Ratcliffe from Millington's Magical Barn took home the Animal Award

The winner of the Animal Award was Millington's Magical Barn in Thornhill, near Wakefield, an animal sanctuary set up in 2018.

Founder Jake Ratcliffe said he was "overwhelmed".

"I have poured my life into this - it's a reward for a lot of years of work, and I'm sure there's a lot of years of work to come.

"It's everything to me."

In April, Millington's Magical Barn, named after the first animal Mr Ratcliffe ever rescued, a cat called Millington, submitted an official application to become a registered charity.

Mr Ratcliffe also revealed when collecting his award that at his recent wedding to his wife Rosie, Bunny, a sheep that uses a wheelchair to get around was their ringbearer.

Simon Monk, BBC Radio Leeds executive editor, said: "This year's Make a Difference Awards were truly special - not just because of the incredible stories we celebrated, but because we brought the event to Bradford for the very first time.

"It's a privilege to honour the everyday heroes who make West Yorkshire such a remarkable place to live, and we're proud to have shared their stories on BBC Radio Leeds."

The 250 guests also enjoyed a performance from The Bantam of the Opera Choir - a musical partnership between BBC Radio Leeds and Bradford City AFC fans.

The Bantam of the Opera choir performed live at the 2025 BBC Radio Leeds Make a Difference Awards

Dr Amir Khan, a BBC Morning Live presenter, judged the Community Award, which was won by The Wren Bakery, based in Leeds.

The Wren Bakery is a social enterprise that supports women facing multiple disadvantages, building their confidence through barista training, baking and holistic wellbeing sessions.

Dr Khan said: "I felt one organisation in particular was focused heavily on a group of individuals who are often forgotten and whose needs are not always addressed.

"This organisation takes this vulnerable group and invests time in them as well as upskilling them in a way that has a lasting benefit on not just them as individuals but also on the wider community around them."

Clare Sanderson, the bakery's co-founder, said she was "absolutely thrilled".

"We are so proud of our women - they show us what strength and resilience is."

Mariyam Mushtaq won the Young Hero award for her fundraising efforts supporting SKT Welfare and Muslim Hands

Full list of BBC Radio Leeds Make A Difference 2025 winners:

• Volunteer Award - an individual who makes a notable difference to their community by giving their time voluntarily to help others. Celia Moorhouse from Batley

• Young Hero Award - someone under 16 who has made a positive impact in their community or achieved something exceptional. Mariyam Mushtaq from Dewsbury

• Great Neighbour Award - an individual who helps to make the neighbourhood a better place to live or work, either on a regular basis or through a single act of kindness. Jasmine Cornthwaite from Holmfirth

• Active Award - an individual or group of people who have used physical activity or sport as a way of improving the lives of those in their community. Errol Hamlet from Huddersfield

• Animal Award - an animal that improves the life of an individual or group of people. Or, a person or group of people working with animals to improve animal welfare. Millington's Magical Barn

• Green Award - an individual or group of people who help to make where we live more environmentally friendly and better for nature. Calder Conservation Group CIC

• Fundraiser Award - an individual or group of people who have gone the extra mile to raise funds for a good cause. Barry Newman from East Ardsley.

• Community Group Award supported by BBC Morning Live - awarded to a group of people who have helped to genuinely change the lives of others within their community. The Wren Bakery

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.