A COMMUNITY will pay tribute to one of its champions who died last year after a battle of cancer.

Family and members of the Firthmoor Community Centre will dedicate a room to Bill Cook to commemorate the work he did for the group.

Mr Cook, who died last September at the age of 78, was a former chairman of Firthmoor Community Association, chairman of Firthmoor Partnership Board and acted as a governor at Firthmoor Primary School. He helped to open the community centre in 2004.

He was also an MBE and a former winner of Darlington's citizen of the year.

A campaign was launched following his death to create a permanent reminder to the work he carried out in Firthmoor.

Community leaders have decided to rename the Nightingale room at the community centre as the Bill Cook Room.

A dedication ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 18.