BLACKBURN manufacturer MGS Technical Plastics has thrown its weight behind a campaign to celebrate the unsung heroes of its local community.

MGS will sponsor the 2017 Good Neighbours Awards, which honour those making positive contributions in the Blackburn with Darwen area.

Previous winners include a war veteran who maintains a local memorial, a schoolboy volunteer litter picker and a resident who organises regular events and activities for retired people.

Company director John Sturgess, a Darrener born and bred, said: “The Good Neighbours Awards honour people who help others and I think that’s a fantastic thing.

“I have lived in Blackburn with Darwen for most of my life and I have always experienced a strong community spirit.

“These awards celebrate what it is to be a good neighbour, and that’s what makes our community so dynamic.”

MGS Technical Plastics is a family-owned plastic injection moulding company, established in Lancashire in 1974.

The company moved to its current home, at Centurion Business Park in Blackburn, as part of a £2m expansion four years ago.

Previous sponsors of the Good Neighbours Awards include Blackburn Rovers FC and Capita.

MGS also contributed a piece of manufacturing-themed artwork to the town’s Festival of Making in the summer.

John Sturgess is the chairman of the Darwen Town Centre Partnership Board and a trustee and vice chair of the town’s homeless charity, Nightsafe.

He added: “We have a reputation as a company that is committed to its community. We employ 68 people from the area and we have always been the first to get involved with local projects.

“As a company, we have a lot to offer our community and I’m proud of my team for its support of these awards.”