The annual awards are handed out to local heroes across the region to celebrate their achievements.

Close to 100 people were nominated and the shortlist for the accolades was released in March.

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony at Clydebank Town Hall on Friday.

Balloch swimmer Ross, who learned to swim at Vale of Leven pool, has been nominated in the Sports Champion category following his showstopping performances at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

He faces stiff competition from shotputter Alison Roger, from Clydebank, who qualified for Team Scotland at the Games last year and from Dumbarton’s Kevin Anderson, who won the 2014 national singles trophy in lawn bowls.

Nominated for Arts and Culture Champion is award-winning artist Tom McKendrick, of Clydebank; Daniel McCormick, also of Clydebank who help set up a youth arts hub in the region and Dumbarton musician Allie Anderson who was recently accepted on to the prestigious jazz course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow.

John Mackay, a security guard at Loch Lomond Shores who waded into the loch to rescue a drowning man, is shortlisted for Community/Voluntary Champion.

He is up against Dumbarton’s Pamela McMartin, who runs the Dumbarton District Disabled Children’s Forum and Mary Burch, also of Dumbarton, who is a long-standing volunteer for the Boys Brigade, the Veterans, Scouts and the armed forces charity SAAFA.

Also shortlisted for the same category is Nicole Joyce, from Dumbarton, who survived massive brain surgery in her teens to train as a nurse and fundraise for people affected by acoustic neuroma.

Those hoping to win the Community/Voluntary Team award are the Vale of Leven Autism and Aspergers Forum, the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat team and the Soup Kitchen Volunteers from St Peter the Apostle High School in Clydebank.

The judges have already selected the Youth Champion award which goes to Ryan Miller, of Clydebank. Ryan is an active member of the St Peter The Apostle High School community and he has also dedicated more than 300 hours of his time to volunteering. Provost Douglas McAllister will also select the overall Citizen of the Year from the five Champions on the night. Provost McAllister told the Reporter: “I would like to congratulate all those residents who were nominated, and pay particular tribute those who have been shortlisted for the awards by our judges. “There is no higher praise than to have your friends and colleagues take the time to recognise your contribution to the local community. “I’m also delighted by the response of the public to this year’s awards. “We had nearly 100 impressive nominations and that backs up my view that West Dunbartonshire is a strong community with some really remarkable individuals and groups. “I will be writing to every person who was nominated and also every person who nominated someone to thank them personally. “Giving recognition to remarkable residents is one of my favourite duties as provost, and I’m looking forward to our awards evening when I can meet those shortlisted, and pass on my thanks in person.”