Adam Whitehouse
Adam Whitehouse ran 100km on Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary Day to raise money for the Dougie Mac – and has vowed to run 100km every month until he has raised the £56,000 needed to keep the hospice operating for one day.
His fundraising total currently stands at around £14,000, including pledges from businesses that joined him along the route which took in all six Stoke-on-Trent towns and Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Adam, the founder of Newcastle-under-Lyme based TMT First, took almost 14 hours to complete his ultra marathon.
He said: “I’d never run more than a marathon before. I knew it would be hard but it was for a good cause.
“I want to raise enough to keep the Dougie Mac open for one day. There isn’t another organisation in this area that supports so many people. Until you need them you just don’t know how valuable they are.
“I was born in the same year as the Dougie Mac first opened and I’ve experienced lots of people having to use its services. It’s just an amazing place and it works with young people as well as adults now too.
“Running 100Kkm was inspired by our city being 100 this year and I’m going to keep doing 100km per month.”
Adam has been nominated in the Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year category of the Your Heroes Awards.
He said: “I’m surprised to have been nominated. I definitely don’t do it for the press. I’m doing it to raise awareness for the Dougie Mac, but it’s very nice that somebody has recognised the fundraising.
“There are so many people in our city that do amazing things and there are so many businesses and business people that support the work of the Dougie Mac.
“Local businesses have raised more than £1 million for the Dougie Mac and it’s great that we can be part of that and show other businesses and business people that they can do something to help. It’s amazing what the people of Stoke-on-Trent do for the Dougie Mac.”
Leigh Burnham and Chris Powell
Leigh Burnham and Chris Powell climbed up and down Snowdon three times on one of the hottest days of the year to raise money for charity.
The friends, who both work at WR Davies Nissan in Stafford, set off from home at 11.30pm to start their first ascent at 2am.
They completed the 25 mile trek 15 hours later.
They have already raised around £1,200 for Childhood Cancer Parents Alliance, with sponsorship continuing to come in.
“It’s a great cause and a local charity to the car dealership where we both work,” said Leigh, aged 39.
“Neither of us have ever done anything like this before so we found it challenging but we’re glad we’ve done it. It feels like a real achievement.
“I don’t normally walk to the shop never mind up and down mountains on one of the hottest days of the year.”
It was Chris, aged 49, who is sales manager at the dealership, who came up with the idea for the challenge.
Tey have been calling their trek Three Peaks in One as it was their own version of the Three Peaks Challenge.
Leigh and Chris have been nominated in the Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year category of the Your Heroes Awards.
Eileen Colclough
Eileen Colclough is out at all times of day and in all weathers to rescue the stray and feral cat population of Stoke-on-Trent.
The 43-year-old, from Bucknall, has already rescued more than 100 cats in the first half of 2025.
Everything is self-funded or paid for by Eileen’s own fundraising through her Eyes Cats Facebook page, which has more than 700 members and documents her work.
It all started five years ago, when Eileen paid for vet’s treatment for someone else’s cat shortly after losing her own pet dog.
Another cat arrived on her doorstep shortly afterwards, then a litter of feral cats and she was hooked.
“It started off with just me and now there are two of us plus some friends who help me out when I need it,” she said.
“The first cat I picked up was five years ago. I’d lost my dog the week before and I’d never had a cat myself before then. I could see something was wrong so I took her to the vet and they wanted to put her to sleep. Because of what I’d just been through with my dog I couldn’t do that to someone else’s cat.”
Eileen paid for pneumonia treatment for the three-year-old cat.
“From there another cat turned up that looked like it had been shot in the middle of the forehead. I got him treated and he’s since moved in.
“Then there were some kittens that I couldn’t get a rescue centre to take on. There was no way I was putting kittens back out on the streets. That’s where it all started.”
After rescuing cats and kittens Eileen pays for medical treatment and then tries to find new homes, either directly or through rescue centres.
She has been nominated in the Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year category of the Your Heroes Awards by Suzanne Andrews.
Suzanne said: “Eileen is out in all weathers, in areas with lots of feral cats and responding to the public trapping feral cats, having them neutered and either releasing them or finding homes if they are suitable for rehoming.
“She also gets them treated for parasites, injuries and illnesses where necessary. All of this is on an entirely voluntary basis, relying on donated food and money from donations and tombolas, raffles etc.
“I cannot stress enough how much this lady does with the help of friends and well-wishers. She never says no and goes out of her way to help any cat reported to her which is in need.
“This is a service which is greatly needed in the city of Stoke-on-Trent. I never realised the extent of the problem until I heard about her. She is a true hero.”
Eileen added: “I’ve never done this to be noticed but it’s nice to know that you’re noticed, that people can see what you’re doing. Being nominated like this gives you a sense of pride.”
Tomasz Putynkowski
After arriving in the UK from Poland 18 years ago, the support that Tomasz Putynkowski received then is now being reciprocated.
Giving something back to the community is something Tomasz, aged 41, holds dear. Based in Fenton, he is a direrctor at JMT Accountancy Ltd and uses his financial know-how to help a number of charities and businesses across the region.
Alongside his charity work, Tomasz is active in mentoring businesspeople, in particular start-ups.
He works with Be Inspired, a University of Staffordshire initiative that provides graduates with the practical skills and a financial springboard to help new and developing businesses.
Tomasz is using his financial acumen to assist two local CICs – he is the Treasurer at Staffordshire Adults Autistic Society and has been offering financial advice to Ardour Housing. He is an Advisory Council Member at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce.
Tomasz said: “I really enjoy using my accountancy experience to help and support others. I actively participate in organising events and raising awareness and I am always willing to step out of my comfort zone too – whether it’s speaking at public events or volunteering.
“I use my professional expertise to benefit charitable organisations and feel that in recent years this has been increasingly important and necessary. I know just how difficult the world of finance can be for companies, charities and individuals – but if I can help, I will. It’s how I was raised, and I feel it is only right to help others after I received so much help myself.”
Tomasz Putynkowski has been nominated in the Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year category of the Your Heroes Awards 2025.
Dean Chapman
When people see Dean Chapman cleaning road signs or play areas around his home city of Stoke-on-Trent they assume he works for the city council – but he is actually a volunteer.
The 49-year-old, who has his own window cleaning company, spends hours of his free time cleaning in public areas around the city. He also cleans the windows at The Macari Centre homeless charity and Bethel Church for free and helps Bethel Church with their community meals for people with learning difficulties.
He often finds himself running errands for elderly people on his window cleaning round.
Dean recently cleaned a children’s play area in Blurton for free and will often go on litter picks on Sunday mornings.
He started his free civic cleaning around 18 months ago, slotting it in whenever he has time to spare between his paid work.
Dean, from Lightwood, said: “I must have cleaned about 150 road signs around Stoke-on-Trent so far. I’m just really proud of Stoke-on-Trent and want it to look the best it can for visitors and people who live here.
“I get really good feedback. When people see what I’m doing they assume I’m being paid by the city council but I’m doing it off my own back.
“I’m taking pride in my area and helping other people. I enjoy it really. We’ve already got a lot of volunteers in Stoke-on-Trent but just think how much of a difference we could make if more people did this.”
Dean has two grown-up children and will sometimes take his three-year-old granddaughter out with him on his cleaning missions.
He has been nominated in the Charity Champion or Volunteer of the Year category of the Your Heroes Awards by Councillor Lilian Dodd, former Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent.
Dean added: “I was really pleased but also surprised when I found out that Councillor Dodd had put me forward for the Your Heroes Awards.
“It’s really nice of her but it’s also a bit of a shock. Being recognised in this way is massive for me. It makes you realise that you must be doing something right.”
Alongside his cleaning Dean records YouTube videos encouraging people to visit Stoke-on-Trent and find out more about its history.