The Pride of Shropshire Awards are designed to celebrate the very best of what goes on in our area.

The awards, a joint venture between the Shropshire Star, Shropshire Partnership and Market Drayton dairy giant Müller, highlight the achievements of people who work quietly behind the scenes – but make a real difference to the success and wellbeing of Shropshire.

• To see this year’s contenders, click on the link at the bottom of this page

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been inviting Shropshire Star readers to submit their nominations for this year’s nine awards: Learner, Entrepreneur, Courage, Good Neighbour, Volunteer, Community Project, Healthy Life, Carer, and Environmental Project.

Today, we present the three finalists in each category. The winner of each category will be announced at a gala dinner at Shrewsbury’s Prostar stadium on June 18, hosted by BBC Radio Shropshire’s Eric Smith. An overall 2009 Pride of Shropshire champion will also be crowned.

Last year’s inaugural awards proved a huge success, with our postbag overflowing with inspirational stories of heroism, determination and bravery, and choosing eventual finalists and winners proved a tough task. The judges say they have had a similarly difficult struggle again this year.

The 2009 Pride of Shropshire Awards are backed by a host of big-name companies, including Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, Denso, Shropshire Housing Group, Coverage Care, the e-Innovation Centre, The Wrekin Housing Trust, and Telford College of Arts and Technology.

For the Shropshire Partnership, the awards fit perfectly with its vision to “significantly improve the quality of life for Shropshire people by working together”. Its work focuses primarily on children and young people, health and wellbeing of older people, and creating, safer, stronger and sustainable communities.

As a community-driven newspaper, the Shropshire Star is also proud to be playing a pivotal role in a scheme which highlights how our beautiful county brings out the best in its people, setting an example which other parts of the country could follow.

Organisers want to say a big thank-you to everyone who took the time to put forward a nomination this year.

• Don’t miss our full coverage of the Pride of Shropshire finals on June 19, with news of the winners, plus pictures and reaction. We’ll also be posting a video from the awards night on shropshirestar.com