IT was around seven years ago that the Star sat down with Steve Prescott and his charity and started discussions about ways of recognising the successes, courage and selflessness of St Helens communities.

Steve felt back then that so much good was being done, and so many great things achieved but too often they were unheralded.

He wanted to challenge the culture that saw St Helens people underplay their achievements.

So we set about creating the Pride of St Helens awards.

It was a mission in many ways to raise aspiration and self belief, highlighting the brilliant people within our communities and those born here who have gone on to achieve great things elsewhere.

Last week saw the seventh Pride of St Helens awards, with the event extended to included a second night that celebrated success in business.

Five years on from the death of Steve – a man whose strength in the face of adversity became a force of good for the town – his legacy is strengthened by these night’s of community pride.

Hopefully, reading about these stories will inspire others and help with efforts to tackle low aspiration, poor social mobility and overbearing negativity that St Helens faces too often.

Eamonn McManus, the chairman of Saints, made an important point when giving a speech at the inaugural business awards. He described how a schoolgirl had contacted him following an event he had spoken at to say how his words – and descriptions of the great people St Helens has produced down the years – had changed her thinking.

The girl has a passion for films but had never thought of pursuing her ambitions, thinking “that nothing big happens to people from St Helens”.

However, Eamonn’s words inspired her to pursue those dreams and she has since landed a work placement with an established director.

No child should grow up here thinking nothing big happens to people from St Helens.

Events like the Pride of St Helens aim to challenge these beliefs – and it is up to all of us to take up the baton and fight that stereotype if we want to create a more positive culture.