HELPING others is a way of life for 69-year-old Maurice Ffelan.

After a career as a social worker, latterly in Rossendale working with the groups including elderly and physically handicapped people, Maurice retired and has become involved in voluntary roles in the Roe Lee area.

“He’s an unsung hero and a real asset. I don’t know what we’d do without him – certainly my job would be a lot harder,” said Jenna Russett-Knott, community officer for Roe Lee, who is based at Bangor Street Community Centre and put his name forward.

Maurice, of Whalley New Road, is one of eight prize winners in the Good Neighbour Awards, organised by the Lancashire Telegraph and Blackburn with Darwen Council to recognise people making a difference in their communities.

He wins a break for two, including a day at Wimbledon during the Grand Slam tennis championships on finals weekend courtesy of Newmarket Holidays and Capita. Along with each of the almost 60 nominees he also receives a £25 shopping voucher for The Mall, Blackburn.

All three Roe Lee ward councillors backed the nomination of Maurice, who is involved with Friends of Roe Lee Park, Brownhill Plantation, Blackburn and Darwen United Against Racism and is treasurer of Friends of Blackburn Old Cemetery.

“I like to be involved in a hands-on way and if that means getting my hands dirty, even better,” said Maurice who was a leading light in clearing Brownhill Plantation, a woodland just off Whalley New Road, two years ago. “I prefer to be out and about,” he said. As well as breaking down physical barriers, Maurice has also been pleased to see more mixing of ethnic groups in Roe Lee.

“There are still a lot of people living separate and parallel lives and community groups tend to be either white or asian,” he said.

“But it is changing as older people move out and families move in. There is more mixing, especially among young people and it has been good to see children from different racial groups playing together at events in the park.”