We have now reached the penultimate category in the countdown to the Examiner Pride of Huddersfield Awards.

It’s the Courage Award and here we reveal the shortlist.

The winner will be revealed at the awards ceremony on Thursday evening at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Tomorrow we will unveil the nominations in our final category which is Friend of the Year.

Pride of Huddersfield Awards

Kamal Aftab

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Kamal Aftab’s dedication to the community knew no bounds ... even when he knew he was terminally ill.

The optometrist had so many projects on the go at any one time and was always exploring new ways to help others.

And even in the darkest hours his inner courage shone through and he was always thinking of others and never himself, setting up a £50,000 charity fundraising campaign once he had been diagnosed to help others in the same situation.

And even while in hospital at St James Hospital in Leeds he did part of a marathon run which his relatives then finished after he had passed away.

He has been nominated for this award posthumously by his brother Yousaf, who lives in Fixby.

It was on June 7 last year that Kamal was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia and died exactly two months later on August 7.

Kamal, 33, of Almondbury, served as a regional youth leader for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association and was very active in serving people locally whether it was helping the elderly, visiting the ill, clearing the streets hit by snow, helping out areas devastated by floods, helping raise more than £50,000 for charities both locally and nationally, providing training and development to students and feeding the homeless.

Yousaf said: “This disease did not deter Kamal from operating as a clinician within the Huddersfield area and also covering as a youth leader the whole of Yorkshire region as a volunteer.

“He was very keen while he was alive to serve humanity and give things back to local community. He took on a 26-mile hospital challenge while being treated with chemotherapy at Leeds to raise 50,000 for Bloodwise so the money could be used for research and development and also to further help those suffering from blood cancer.

“Kamal managed to raise £15,000 while he was alive and recently we reached and went above the target of £50,000 – and the total amount sits at over £72,000, including gift aid.”

Kamal was an optometrist by profession and was project manager for an international charity called Humanity First which set up an eye clinic. The project helps those suffering with low vision, cataracts and general visual issues, especially in regions of Africa where the project operates.

Awards have been named after Kamal since he died including from Bradford University (Kamal Aftab Excellence in Low Vision Award), Humanity First (Kamal Aftab Gift of Sight Mobile Clinic) and his own workplace Valli opticians (Kamal Aftab Excellence Award for Humanitarian Services).

Yousaf added: “From diagnosis to passing away Kamal bravery conducted himself to continue to serve people and help from a charitable and humanitarian perspective.”

Kamal was one of five children to parents dad Rafiq and mum Khawar and the others are another brother Farooq and sisters Mansoora and Sabiha.

Chloe Foster

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Chloe Foster has shown immense courage after she was badly hurt in a freak trampolining accident.

For it has not deterred her from getting back on the trampoline as soon as she could.

Chloe fractured her skull in two places when she fell from a trampoline at Huddersfield Sports Centre in September 2013 – but she has now literally bounced back and hopes to take part in the British championships in July.

The accident prompted British Gymnastics to revise its policy nationally about safety mats and led to Kirklees Rebound Trampoline Club setting up a fundraising campaign to get £20,000 for new matting.

Chloe was 15 and a member of the club’s elite squad when the accident happened. She was advised to take a six month break from trampolining after the accident and that turned into 10 months when she suffered dizzy spells at first. But now she’s back to her best. There are four galas each year and the best trampolinists get through to the national finals. Chloe came first in her comeback gala last September and then third. The other two galas are in May and June.

Mum Julie said of the accident: “Chloe was practising a routine she had done at the British Championships where she came first and third, so she knew the routine well.

“She got a bounce wrong. She was about 6m high and landed wrong. She missed the end deck and landed on the poolside and then fell into the swimming pool.”

After eight days at Leeds General Infirmary Chloe was allowed home, but advised not to trampoline for six months.

Chloe, of Birkby, is now a student at Greenhead College.

Her parents are Julie – a former gymnast and gymnastics teacher – and dad is Andrew. Chloe has an older brother, 20-year-old Jordan.

Chloe started as a gymnast but turned to trampolining at the age of seven and loves the Olympic sport.

“I like everything about it,” she said. “My friends, the coaches and being on the trampoline for the few seconds when you’re in the air after the jump before you land is brilliant – it feels like you’re flying.”

Les Saunders

Grandfather Les Saunders didn’t think twice when he saw a driver plough into six parked cars.

The 59-year-old saw the motorist try to flee from the scene of the crash next to Greenhead Park so he chased and caught him.

Les, a former landlord at The Clough House, Rastrick, had been enjoying a fun morning in the sun at Greenhead Park on February 18 with his two grandchildren, four-year-old Maisey and seven-year-old Harrison, when the driver’s trail of chaos started.

A BMW X5 smashed into the parked cars before finally hitting a tree.

Les, who lives in Fixby, said: “We got out of the car and the BMW driver just missed my car and went bang into a tree. We were so lucky he didn’t hit ours.

“I turned round and saw him getting out of the car and he was actually smiling. He was on his way up the road.

“I thought ‘I’m not having this’ and wrestled him to the floor.”

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The driver ended up on top of Les with his knee in his back and he was still suffering pain months after the incident.

Fortunately two men in the nearby skateboard park spotted what was happening, hauled the driver off Les and held on to him until the police arrived.

Les said: “Instinct took over more than anything else – there was no thought process to what I did. I’d like to think I’d react in the same way again.”

Les lives with partner Catherine Kaye and the couple have six grandchildren.

Police say six vehicles were damaged in the incident including a black Volvo XC90, a grey Volkswagen Tiguan, a blue Volkswagen Touran, a Hyundai-i30, a blue Honda and a silver Ford Focus.

The BMW driver, a 35-year-old man, was arrested for failure to provide a specimen of breath for analysis as requested by police following a collision.

Award sponsor: Kirklees Stadium Development Ltd

Kirklees Stadium Development logo
Kirklees Stadium Development

Kirklees Stadium Development LTD, which facilitates and operates The John Smith’s Stadium, is proud to be sponsoring the Examiner Pride of Huddersfield’s’ Courage Award for the second year.

The stadium, which is playing host to this year’s awards, is home to both Huddersfield Giants RLFC and Huddersfield Town AFC, as well as being Huddersfield’s premier conference and events venue, suitable for both corporate and private hire.

KSDL managing director Gareth Davies said: “Holding these awards is essential in bringing our local community together and celebrating the truly wonderful things going on around us.

“Every year I find myself walking away inspired by these individuals who have gone above and beyond, whether it is through aiding the community or a personal act of strength. I want to offer my congratulations to all of the nominees on the evening and wish them the very best of luck with the awards.”