THE hunt for heroes is on, and readers are being asked to name the most deserving members of the sporting, educational and charity communities as Flybe, in association with the Jersey Evening Post, launch their annual Island Heroes competition.

The awards, which are in their second year, will honour the Island’s unsung champions, with the winners of each of the three categories receiving a £10,000 prize – £5,000 in cash and £5,000 in Flybe travel vouchers.

Last year Jersey Special Gymnastics Club took the sporting heroes award, Acorn Enterprises the educational prize and Family Nursing and Home Care the charity honours. Similar to last year, those Islanders proposing the awards are required to write in no more than 250 words why their nominee deserves the prize.

The same expert judges return to whittle down the contenders to a shortlist of nine. They are Guernsey’s former Southampton and England footballer Matt Le Tissier; Advocate Chris Renouf, the chairman of the Association of Jersey Charities; Derek de la Haye, assistant director of Education, Sport and Culture; Ian Taylor, general manager market development of Flybe; and David Edwards, marketing manager for the Jersey Evening Post.

• Picture: Former England football star Matthew Le Tissier is flanked by Ian Taylor of Flybe (left) and David Edwards of the JEP  Picture by Tony Pike (00590764)