GLASGOW’S Community Champions Awards are back – and we want to hear who you think deserves to win.
The successful long-running Glasgow Times initiative, supported by Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Housing Association and Trades House of Glasgow, gives our readers the chance to celebrate all that is great in their communities.
Editor Callum Baird said: “For the last 18 months, the Glasgow Times has been telling story after story about the great resilience and determination shown in communities across the city.
“Many people have stepped up to help others since the pandemic began, and our Community Champions awards are a great way to pay tribute to them, and to celebrate all the good work being done throughout Glasgow.
“We can’t wait to see the nominations and to share these wonderful stories with all our readers.”
Once again there will be a public vote to decide regional winners and, new for 2021, we are introducing a special category dedicated to schools.
There are nine trophies up for grabs - Team Award, Individual Award, Public Service Award, Uniformed Services Award, Senior Award, Young Award, Health and Wellbeing Award, Sports Award and School Award – covering three areas of Glasgow: the south, the north-east and the north-west.
Glasgow’s Lord Provost Philip Braat said: “We all know ‘People Make Glasgow’ and I know, from personal experience of meeting past Community Champions, that they are exceptional people who are always prepared to go the extra mile for someone else.
“Whether it is a friend, neighbour or acquaintance, Community Champions are special, civic-minded people who always turn up with a smile on their face, their sleeves rolled up, and a ‘can do’ attitude - ready and willing to help others. I look forward to the nominations and to congratulating the winners. Good luck everyone.”
GHA Chairperson Bernadette Hewitt said: “Glasgow Housing Association is delighted to be part of the Glasgow Times Community Champions awards.
“At GHA we know there are so many unsung heroes across the city who give up their time to make a real difference to people and to neighbourhoods. Community Champions is an excellent way of recognising their efforts.
“GHA’s vision is ‘better homes, better lives, a better Glasgow’ – and I’m looking forward to hearing about the great things done by volunteers in every corner of the city to make their communities better places to live.”
Ken Dalgleish, Deacon Convener of Trades House, said: “ We are delighted to be supporting The Community Champion Awards once again this year.
“The Awards are even more significant this year as we emerge from the challenges of Covid 19 and respond to new demands on education and social welfare. Many individuals and organisations have gone that extra mile to guide and protect their local community during the pandemic and we look forward to celebrating their success.
“Trades House continues to support a wide range of community projects through grants and donations in addition to initiatives such as Kinship Care. Our congratulations go to all involved in the Awards.”
Last time, winners included Castlemilk Youth Complex, who triumphed in the Team Award; Musical Memories, a dementia project at Springburn Parish Church, which won the Senior category; and resourceful nurse Sarah Everett, who set up Men’s Shed Govan, who won the Uniformed Services Award.
Frank McArdle from St Roch’s Ceilidh Band was named Teacher of the Year. (This year, the category has been changed to School of the Year. )Elaine Leitch, founder of women’s running club Jiggly Joggers, won the Lord Provost’s Special Recognition Award.
READ MORE: Glasgow's unsung heroes celebrated as community champions revealed
HOW TO NOMINATE
WE want to hear about inspirational individuals and great groups in your area. You can nominate anyone, from the hardworking coach of young person’s sports team, to a nurse who goes above and beyond the day job; from an inspirational teenager making waves at school to a pensioner who campaigns for better services.
Tell us why they should win and remember to include lots of detail and photographs to support your entry.
You can nominate on the website at http://newsquestscotlandevents.com/events/glasgowcommchamps
The closing date for entries is Wednesday, September 29. A shortlist will then go to a public online vote to determine the winners in each area, who will then progress to the Grand Final at Glasgow City Chambers on December 1.
A judging panel made up of representatives from the awards’ partners, will decide the Grand Final winners.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here