Burnley plumber James Anderson finalist for Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the Year

Video report by ITV Granada Reports journalist Zoe Muldoon

It's that time of year again where we celebrate those from our communities who have given their time to raise thousands of pounds to help others.

We've been searching for the Granada Reports Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the Year, and have whittled it down to four outstanding finalists.

James Anderson from Burnley has raised just under £2 million through online fundraising for his not-for-profit organisation Depher.

Plumber James set up Depher, which stands for Disability and Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Repair, in 2017, after discovering that an elderly man was almost scammed out of thousands of pounds by another engineer.

James knew it would be happening to other vulnerable people, so began offering free plumbing and heating services to those who really need it.

After he began posting about his work online, donations came flooding in from members of the public.

He has even received over £55,000 from actor Hugh Grant.

Five years on, James says Depher has helped more than two million people across Lancashire and beyond.

Through online fundraising, James picks up shopping and energy bills for people who face the choice of eating or heating, as well as supporting those at their lowest ebb.

James said: "It's not about going into a house and saying here's a nice car, here's a million pounds, it's about putting your arm around someone and telling them you care."

James recently set up a support hub in Burnley, where the community get free and discounted winter items, which is all the more important as the cost of living crisis deepens.

His goal is to have Depher hubs across the country, helping people struggling to survive get by.

James said: "By getting the service noticed by everybody, we could reduce the pain and the sorrow on the NHS, on care homes.

"To expand Depher nationally would save hundreds of thousands of lives every year."

On being a finalist for Granada Reports' Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the Year, James said he was "over the moon".

He said: "It's like Christmas, Easter, my birthday, all at once.

"If I won, it would mean so much to me personally.

"I would have the biggest smile on my face, I'd be like a Cheshire cat."

What is Pride of Britain?

Pride of Britain Awards celebrate the achievements of truly remarkable people who make our world a better place.

Nominated by the public, the winners are from all walks of life, of all ages, and from all over the country. Their achievements are awe-inspiring and a lesson to us all. They say they are ordinary people, but their acts are truly extraordinary.

Since the first Pride of Britain in 1999, royalty, prime ministers, and hundreds of leading figures from showbiz, sport, politics and the arts have all taken part.

Hosted by Carol Vorderman, the Awards attract an audience of around five million viewers every year in a primetime slot on ITV - making it the highest rated awards show of its kind on British television.