THE shortlist for this year’s Flybe Island Heroes bursary scheme has been decided.

Following a meeting of the five judges – Advocate Chris Renouf, footballer Matt Le Tissier, Education, Sport and Culture’s Derek de la Haye, Flybe general manager Ian Taylor, and the JEP’s marketing manager David Edwards – the entries have been whittled down to just nine.

The individuals or groups who made it on to the shortlist, and are in with a chance of winning the £10,000 bursary for either the sport, education, or charity award, will be announced from Wednesday in the JEP.

Mr Taylor said: ‘Like in previous years you think it’s going to be quite easy to choose three in each category but it actually isn’t because all of the applicants are very worthy and it’s incredibly difficult to narrow it down. After much debate we unanimously agreed on the nine and at the end of the day we are always very glad that it’s not us that are selecting the winners and that it is down to the JEP readers. There are some fantastic stories about what people are trying to do, their aspirations and hopes, and let’s hope that at least three will be able to fulfil those.’

• Picture: Three of the five judges - Ian Taylor, Matt Le Tissier and David Edwards