Entries for this year's Hampshire business in the Community Award demonstrate the enormous time, energy and effort businesses are putting back into their local communities...

ALL three finalists selected by the judges - Basingstoke Gymnastic Club, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and HSBC Personal Financial Services - demonstrated impressive involvement in community affairs and enormous levels of commitment to local fundraising. With activity forming a clear part of business strategy, staff at all levels across each of the finalists' organisations have been fully involved.

The winner of the Hampshire Business in the Community Award, part of the Daily Echo's Hampshire Business Awards, will be announced at a gala awards dinner on Thursday, June 27 at The Vyne, Basingstoke. Winners will be presented with three individually hand-crafted trophies designed by Sculpture degree students at the Winchester School of Art.

The three finalists are (in alphabetical order):

Basingstoke Gymnastic Club

The importance of health and fitness to people of all ages has been a highly topical item on the national news agenda recently at a time when the 'couch potato' is on the increase. Local charity Basingstoke Gymnastic Club is playing a central role within Hampshire to influence the attitudes of the local community on the benefits of gymnastics and to increase participation.

In providing such a broad range of facilities and services to the local community, Basingstoke Gymnastic Club is keen to keep abreast of coaching issues and build relationships with other local sports clubs.

The club's philosophy is of total inclusion and having 'gymnastics for all'. It offers a wide range of disciplines from pre-school, recreation, trampolining and ballet to artistic and team gym. In addition, a great deal of effort is directed towards working closely with children with special needs.

Graham Richards, recent chairman at Basingstoke Gymnastic Club, explained: "Many people do not recognise the benefits to be gained from gymnastics as opposed to other sporting activities. It really provides that all-round mental and physical fitness.

"Our team of over 90 staff and volunteers are continually identifying and pursuing new links that help get this message across to the local community. The training of new coaches also ensures we can continue to enhance our services for the benefits of all that realise the many advantages to be gained."

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service

Staggeringly, it is estimated that children start as many as one in four fires, accounting for up to 250,000 fire call-outs a year nationally.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has a large part to play in the community, way beyond fire fighting and its vital lifesaving role. The service believes that raising awareness and educating the local population is also a major way to reduce fire call-outs and save lives.

Michael Stead, divisional officer at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We work with the community on a daily basis, not only attending fire situations but trying to promote fire safety through education and increased awareness. Being recognised as a leader in community relations is a wonderful boost for the team and we are all very excited about the possibility of winning this accolade."

Tackling arson is an important issue on the community agenda and a comprehensive arson reduction initiative has been developed. This involves geographically mapping arson incidents so that measures can be put in place to prevent further fires. This often means working closely with teachers, police, waste management authorities and residents' community associations to create a targeted approach. The results speak for themselves - in some instances reducing the number of 'non-accidental' fires by 68 per cent.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is mainly a reactive one aiming to reduce death and injury from fire. However, by proactive involvement with the community and through numerous educational campaigns, the service believes that the number of fires can be significantly reduced.

HSBC Bank plc Personal Financial Services

As part of one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations, HSBC Personal Financial Services lives up to the bank's strong reputation for working with the community through the commitment and involvement of employees who take their role in the local community very seriously.

The community and employee support team co-ordinates community projects throughout the whole of the UK. However, there is very much a local involvement, with many projects being undertaken in the Southampton area as a result of the energy, expertise and devotion from its 1,200 local employees.

Les Heyhoe, community liaison manager, explained: "Involvement of staff from across Hampshire has not only enhanced the community contribution made by HSBC, but has assisted employees in their understanding of local community affairs. We hope that our staff benefit from the increased variety and camaraderie that these projects bring, but also that the community sees us as an employer and neighbour that genuinely wants to be involved in local affairs."

Helping local schools through pupil mentoring is just one of the ways in which HSBC is helping children in Hampshire. The bank was the largest donor to 'Project Santa', an appeal donating toys to underprivileged children in the Southampton area. A further £3,200 was raised for 'Simon Says', a local charity that supports bereaved children, while a sponsored walk raised £3,000 for Whizz Kids, a charity that helps fund mobility equipment for disabled children.