Volunteers and charity champions are among the heroes unveiled in this year’s Fusion awards finalists list.

The regional event now in it’s sixth year will showcase the people who help make the North West a better a place.

It features people from across different cultural backgrounds from Manchester to Preston.

Among the nominees this year are are Lancaster based Abaseen Foundation, led by Helen and William Bingley who raised £90,000 for the Pakistan Flood Relief within weeks of the disaster. They are joined by among others Shree Swaminarayan Mandir and the Cancer Awareness Trainers Group.

Rifat Saleem walked the full length of Hadrians Wall to raise funds for Seashell special school is nominated in the Woman of the year category. Among those in the Community Cohesion section is the Lancashire United Against Hate partnership, Shaukat Ali and Magda Stry Jewska, a Polish community worker who has helped break down cultural barriers in Morecambe.

This year’s sponsors are: BAE Systems, Enterprise4all Ltd, food North West, Lancashire Constabulary, Bootstrap Limited, Carter Law Solicitors, Blackburn with Darwen Council and the Shahi Qila Restaurant Julie Gaukrodger, Corporate Responsibility Manager at BAE Systems said, “The emphasis the Fusion Awards place on inclusivity, cultural cohesion and involvement in the community is echoed by BAE Systems.

At BAE Systems we actively encourage our employees to get involved in community activity and during 2008 and 2009 BAE Systems employees undertook over 17,000hrs of volunteering jobs" target="_blank">work in the region.”

Ilyas Munshi chief Executive of Enterprise4all Ltd said, “Enterprise4All is proud to sponsor both the Entrepreneur of The Year and The Food Business of The Year awards at Fusion 2011.

“In line with Enterprise4all’s vision, The Fusion Event represents quality and diversity for all in business and aims to bring together businesses from all cultures to celebrate all that makes Britain great.

The Fusion Awards will take place on Saturday May 21 in the Premier Suite, Ewood Park the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club.

The Finalists >> Entrepreneur of the year: Safiya Hussain (Preston); Faatimah Patel (Manchester); Moinul Islam (Oldham); Atiya Lulat (Blackburn).

>> Community group of the Year: Cancer Awareness Trainers Group (Blackburn); Abaseen Foundation (Lancaster & North West); Shree Swaminarayan Mandir (Bolton); Positive Start (Rossendale); Brierfield Action in the Community (Pendle).

>> Man of the year: Wakkas Khan (Manchester); Nanu Miah (Oldham); Tariq Javed (Blackburn); Sajid Bashir (Preston); Chotta Bhai Limbachia (Preston).

>> Woman of the year: Rifat Saleem (Manchester); Carmela Horne & Claire Green (Bolton); Julie Gyi (Preston); Rabina Kauser (Oldham); Wendy Smith (Clitheroe).

>> Public Service Award: Dr Kailash Chand (Manchester); Ralph Blair and Mark Kehoe; PC Stuart Rutlidge; Rozina Siddiqui (Preston).

>> Community Cohesion award: Lancashire United Against Hate partnership; Magda Stry Jewska (Morecambe); Dorothy McGregor (Accrington); Blackburn with Darwen Discover Communities Group.

>> Youth Leadership Award: Youth 4 U (Blackburn); Furhan Mustafa (Manchester); Rabiya Ahmed (Preston); wardleworth Girls Group (Rochdale); Ghausia Girls High School (Nelson).