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The finalists in the 2015 St David Awards have been announced by First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones.

The awards, now in their second year, acknowledge the extraordinary achievements of people in Wales. They were created to recognise the great deeds and contributions made by people from all walks of life.

Finalists this year include elite sportspeople; heroes; inventors; innovators; entertainers; ambassadors for Wales and those who put other people’s needs before their own with their charity and volunteer work.

The finalists in the award categories: Bravery; Citizenship; International; Culture; Enterprise; Innovation and Technology; Sport and Young Person are as follows.

Innovation and Technology

• Peter Brewin and William Crawford, Concrete Canvas, Pontypridd. Established in 2005 the company’s products are exported to more than 40 countries and were Wales’ only winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation in 2014.
• Professor Peter Wells CBE FRS FREng FMedSci FLSW, Medical Engineering Research Professor, Cardiff for his pioneering development of ultrasound in medical diagnosis and surgery. He is a distinguished Research Professor at the Institute of Medical Engineering & Medical Physics at Cardiff University and a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
• Ian Tansley, Sure Chill Ltd, Tywyn. The company is behind innovative ways of refrigerating vaccines for hot countries where there is little or no power. The company has vaccine refrigerators operating in more than 30 countries and shipped 200 units to the Philippines to help UNICEF in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan.

Bravery

• Derek Pusey, Leonard Walters and Clive Williams of Cardigan RNLI for their roles in a dramatic night-time rescue near Tresaith in Ceredigion in September 2013.
• Tammy Ryan, Paramedic, Vale of Glamorgan for her role in saving the life of an elderly lady in May 2013.
• Mark Jones, Matthew Thomas and Jim Salmon, policemen, Dyfed Powys Police for their role in saving two people from a house fire in Haverfordwest in November 2013.

International

• Y Gwyll/Hinterland Production Team for the way the drama is promoting Wales and the Welsh language to an international audience.
• Peter Carter Jones and the Welsh Memorial in Flanders Campaign Committee for their tireless work to ensure a fitting memorial for soldiers of Welsh descent who lost their lives in the First World War.
• Michael Sheen OBE, Actor for his patronage of a number of Welsh charities such as TREAT Trust Wales, the Dylan Thomas Prize and Keep Wales Tidy. He is also an ambassador for Unicef.

Enterprise

• Mario Kreft MBE, Pendine Park Care Organisation, Wrexham. Mario is Chair of Care Forum Wales (CFW) which represents the independent care sector in Wales and is the founder of the prestigious Wales Care Awards.  Mario was awarded an MBE in 2010 for his contribution to social care in Wales.
• Scott Waddington, Chief Executive SA Brain, Cardiff. Scott was Chair of CBI for Wales during 2010-11.  He is currently the chairman of the Wales Employment and Skills Board and was appointed Wales Commissioner to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. He is currently the Chair of the Cardiff Business Club.
• Andrew Evans, Managing Director of the St Brides Spa Hotel in Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire. Andrew is the founding Chairman of Saundersfoot Chamber for Tourism, is actively engaged with the Harbour Commission, a member of Saundersfoot Development Trust, a Governor of Pembrokeshire College and a Board Member of Swansea Bay City Region.

Culture

• Karl Jenkins CBE, composer. Karl is one of the UK's best known contemporary composers whose music successfully mixes popular, ethnic and classical influences with modern production techniques.  A recent survey revealed he is now the most-performed living composer in the world.
• Owen Sheers, poet. Owen in one of Wales’ most influential poets. His first collection of poetry, The Blue Book, was shortlisted for the Welsh Book of the Year and the Forward Prize Best 1st Collection in 2001. He was the first ever artist in residence for the Welsh Rugby Union, with his resulting work of non-fiction, Calon, published in 2013.
• Siân Phillips CBE, actor. Siân is a renowned Welsh actress from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen in South West Wales. She has won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress and has been nominated for both Olivier and Tony Awards.

Sport

• Geraint Thomas MBE, professional cyclist, Cardiff. 2014 was a great year for Cardiff cyclist Geraint Thomas after winning a gold medal in the road race at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, being given the honour of carrying the Welsh flag at the closing ceremony and also winning the BBC Wales Sports Personality title.
• Nicole Cooke MBE, professional cyclist, Vale of Glamorgan. Nicole has enjoyed a glittering career, winning many titles and medals at the highest level including gold at the Beijing Olympics and then six weeks later she won the World Road Race Championships, becoming the first cyclist to achieve the honour of being Olympic and World Champion in the same year.  
• Richard Parks, former rugby professional and extreme environment athlete, Newport. Following a professional rugby player, Richard became an extreme environment athlete, accomplishing amazing acts of bravery against the elements in order to raise funds for worthy charities. Last year, he became the first Welsh man and the fastest ever British person to ski solo, unsupported and unassisted to the South Pole.

Young Person

• DIGON, school campaigners, Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr, Cardiff for their tireless work to promote equality for LGBT students and combat homophobia in their school and the wider community.
• Elan Môn Gilford, Llanfairpwll, Anglesey for coaching, being a Young Ambassador for Sport Wales and a Millennium Volunteer.
• Richard Davies, engineer and inventor, Montgomeryshire for inventing and designing a reversing camera for agricultural use.

Citizenship

• Linda Ann Wyn Jones, Founder and Director of Cwmni Seren, Blaenau Ffestiniog for her work in providing accommodation, care and work opportunities for young people and adults with learning difficulties.
• Pamela Morgan, Cardiff for her work with vulnerable older people.
• Rhian Burke, Miskin, Pontyclun for establishing bereavement charity ‘2 Wish Upon a Star’.

The First Minister announced the finalists at a special event at the Wales Millennium Centre sponsored by one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations HSBC and communication experts Golley Slater.

First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones said recently:

"This year’s St David Awards finalists are an exceptional group of people from all walks of life. They’re a credit to the nation and are all fully deserving of recognition.

"I know that Lord Rowe-Beddoe and the other judges had a tough time in selecting the finalists and choosing a winner from these excellent nominees is going to be a real challenge, such are their outstanding achievements.

"I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at the main awards ceremony in March and thank all of today’s finalists for their contributions to Welsh life and society."