Pride and glory!

Photo: Anthony Miller

FIRST ELEVEN: the eleven category winners at the Pride in Oldham Awards 2012 on the stage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall

IT was a quintessentially British night of high emotion and huge celebrations as the 11th Pride in Oldham Awards painted the town red, white and blue.

Popular townsfolk who have won the hearts of the borough, businesses who go above and beyond the call of duty and youngsters who shine with their talents received huge applause as the hundreds of local dignitaries and adoring families who filled the Queen Elizabeth Hall were humbled by the heart-warming stories and selfless efforts of the nominees.

The glitzy awards ceremony celebrated the success of 2012 — from the London Olympic Games and torch relay to the street parties of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee — with Union Jacks adorning the walls and a good old British roast dinner on the menu.

Two new awards were added to the line up this year — the “Love Where You Live Award”, marking the council-run campaign, and the “Ambassador Award”, to honour people who do most to promote Oldham throughout the country — were a great surprise for the packed crowd. Winners and finalists alike went on to celebrate their success with champagne flowing, brass bands playing, dazzling smiles and resounding choruses of the country’s most epic and patriotic tracks in a rousing finale

David Whaley, Editor of the Oldham Chronicle, said: “It has been fantastic to look back at what was a marvellous 2012.

“The Chronicle is very proud of Pride in Oldham and year after year this night gives some very special people the chance to be recognised for all they do. It makes me very proud to be an Oldhamer and Oldham is very proud of all the finalists. We will be rolling out the 2013 awards in a few months time to unearth yet more great stories and great people.”

Full coverage of every award and the ceremony in our print and eChron editions tonight