FOR more than 40 years, Graham Hemmings has worked tirelessly for young people.

The 71-year-old, pictured, of Hollybush Road, Blurton, is the chairman of Blurton Ladsandads and the longest-serving member.

Every Sunday he puts youngsters aged six to 15 through their paces at the club's centre at Blurton Primary School, in Poplar Drive.

Graham said: "We started off doing it for the children, some kids didn't have the facilities so we were getting them off the streets and giving them a game of football. Since then it's just grown and grown."

The group started in 1967 and a year later formed a committee.

Graham, whose son Lloyd was six at the time and is now 47, attended the club and was asked to be chairman and his wife Pauline treasurer.

In 1979 the club travelled to America to compete in the Ladandads Year of the Child Tournament in New Jersey.

They fought off strong competition from America, France, Spain and Sweden to win the title.

Graham said: "They were great tournaments. We took a big Royal Doulton bowl over there to be presented to the winner.

"We carried it all the way there and carried it all the way back, it's now in the mayor's parlour."

Now Graham has been put forward as a Volunteer of the Year at The Sentinel's Our Heroes celebration by current chairman Clive Dean.

Clive said: "Without the dedication and selfless attitude of Graham over the many years he has been involved, Staffordshire Ladandads would not be as successful as it is today.

"Many thousands of youngsters have benefited from his whole-hearted community spirit and strong-willed desire to provide them with sporting facilities to aid their development."

In 2006, Graham beat cancer of the oesophagus and has raised money for the University Hospital of North Staffordshire's cancer unit through a sponsored walk.

The two-mile walk was attended by all 23 teams within Blurton Ladsandads and helped raise more than £3,700.