THEY rarely make the headlines but, without them, life would be a lot less appealing for thousands of people across west Scotland.

They are the unsung heroes who improve the life of their local community or run projects that benefit the needy. Others confront barriers that need to be dismantled. By RUSSELL LEADBETTER

FOR as long as she lives, Helen Mackenzie will never forget the moment last April when she became one of the Evening Times' Local Heroes. "I had the time of my life," she says.

"It was the first time in 18 years I've felt special. I felt like a celebrity. The whole thing was well-organised and I was so proud to be among people who give up their time to help others and who put other people's needs before their own.

"It has changed my life and given me a new perspective on things. There are a lot of people out there who are willing to help others. There will never be another moment like that."

The mother-of-three from Dumbarton, our reigning Health and Well-Being winner, started the Families United support group in 2005 when she could find no help through official channels for her son Joe, now 37.

After 18 years of being in and out of prison, hospital and rehab, he is now drug-free, apart from a low dosage of methadone, which he is reducing.

The group has helped hundreds of addicts to get their lives back on track. There's a drop-in service on Monday and Wednesday and access to counselling and relaxation classes.

Helen, 56, said: "The £3000 prize helped us organise things for the boys and the girls here, and to develop our services. That's important - you can't just take people into a room and say you're going to try to help them.

"You've got to give the commitment and they've got to be prepared to meet you half-way by getting involved in other activities, because boredom is a big thing in drug issues. We've had success in that.

"If I help one person, I'm happy - I've done something and I'm not just sitting around and watching people destroy their lives.

"But it can be horrendous for the parents and the families."

Involving parents with doctors or drug agencies will help identify where structured support for their child is needed.

One item of bad news, however, concerned her son, Joe. "He has been attacked on numerous occasions. He was stabbed four times, had limbs broken and had his face slashed. He needed 50-odd staples in his face. He has just been targeted, to be honest.

"I have trouble sleeping as I keep getting flashbacks when I saw the state of my son."

Helen added: "We're working through the reasons why drug addicts relapse, trying to get them more support, trying to get then to use all the services that are available."

Families United is among the organisations at the drugs front-line in Scotland - and it is why Helen was such a deserving winner last year.

Today, the Evening Times launches its Local Heroes awards - your chance to nominate those who merit a place in the spotlight.

The 20th annual awards seek those inspirational individuals and groups who dedicate so many hours to helping others.

The Local Heroes Awards are organised by the Evening Times in partnership with BAE Systems, East Ayrshire Council, Glasgow City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council and bakery firm Warburtons.

The winners of the various categories - see panel on right for full details - will be honoured at a ceremony in the Park Hotel, Kilmarnock, on March 26.

Ian Connell, general manager of Warburtons Scotland, said: "Warburtons is delighted to sponsor the Evening Times Local Hero Awards for the second successive year.

"Last year's event was excellent and helped to highlight groups within the community that are doing such worthwhile work.

"Warburtons is proud of the outstanding commitment many people have shown to improving their local community and it is great the awards recognise this effort."

Now we need your help to find those who do outstanding work within your communities - as we catch up with some of last year's winners. LAC REFERENCE GROUP

THE Local Area Co-ordination Reference Group has had a busy time of it since winning last year's Breaking Down Barriers award.

Lifting the £3000 prize has meant a lot to the members and has given them all a huge confidence boost.

The group aims to change perceptions about what it is like to live with a learning disability and they say winning "has really made a big impact and has led to new opportunities for members".

The prize money has allowed them to do several things that would otherwise not have been possible.

For the first time, the group's football team was able to buy new strips, wearing them with pride at a city-wide tournament. The players also went on a trip to Aviemore for a friendly.

And the group has developed theatrical sketches that demonstrate the kind of issues faced by adults with learning disabilities, while a DVD has been recorded to promote the work of the group - something that would not have been possible without the award.

Membership and activities continue to increase, with many members involved in activities in mainstream community facilities. The group is in the process of merging with the Adult A Team, a well-known, activities-focused group led by adults with learning disabilities in west Glasgow.

The A Team, supported by community work staff from the recently developed West Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership, has been active for 11 years. It recently made a film about the team's dreams and aspirations - and it was this that prompted the merge with the LAC Group. SUMMERFEST

THE couple behind Cambuslang's annual Summerfest were delighted to be singled out for an award by the Evening Times last year - but there was one thing that not even we could fix.

"The weather was something of a let-down, cold and blustery," says John Edgar, who founded the event with his partner, Liz Watson, "and it had a knock-on effect on the attendance figures.

"Normally, if it had been a really warm day, we would have got between 15,000 and 20,000.

"But we still had more than 5000 people there. It was a great day for everyone involved.

"We were delighted to win the Community Spirit award - it meant everything to us.

"The prize of £3000 was a real life-saver, too - we were struggling for funds - and the money allowed us to hire entertainer Dean Park for the day as well."

Summerfest has been one of the main fixtures in Cambuslang's calendar since it first saw the light of day in 1999.

Apart from Dean Park, last year's entertainment was provided by Christian, one of the stars of the Pavilion Theatre's recent stage version of The Full Monty.

Christian is returning this year on June 21, together with a singer called Julianna and Gerry Anderson, who performs songs by such artists as Neil Diamond.

A climbing wall and a large marquee will again feature.

"We just hope it will be bigger and better this year," said John, "and we'd just like to thank the Evening Times for its support".