Finalists announced in Scottish Charity Awards 2017

Run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the awards are open to any voluntary organisation, charity, community group or individual charity volunteer or staff member, and celebrate the life-changing work they do and their dedication to making Scotland a better place to live.

The shortlist includes 38 individuals and organisations from across the third sector in Scotland, and members of the public can have their say by voting for their favourite entry in the People’s Choice Award - https://goodhq.org/scottish_charity_awards_2017 before May 26.

The full shortlist includes: Charity of the year – Who Cares? Scotland; Hope Kitchen; The Yard and Street Soccer Scotland; Celebrating communities – Dunaverty Hall Committee – Stirling Soup; Rainbow Muslim Women’s Group; North West Recovery Communities and Greener Kirkcaldy. Charity champion – Arthur (Ally Bally) Ballingall - Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance; Laura Young – Teapot Trust; Marie Short - Scottish Huntington’s Association and Anne Gurney – No Limits. Leading light – Jamie Marshall – The Wave Project; Maggie Lawson - Badenoch & Strathspey Community Transport Company; Maggie Lennon – Bridges Programmes; Mary Mcfarlane - Aberlour; Celine Sinclair – The Yard and Robert MacGilivary – Save the Children.

Cracking campaign – #Ijustfroze – Rape Crisis Scotland; Big Hearts Supporters – Big Hearts Community Trust; Gordon’s Fightback – MND Scotland; #IncludED in the Main?! – ENABLE Scotland and Unlock Kadcyla – Breast Cancer Now.

Pioneering project – Lingo Flamingo; Waverley Care; The Experience; Community Resource Network Scotland; Inclusion Scotland and C-Change Scotland.

Demonstrating digital – Paisley YMCA; Drake Music Scotland; Parkinson’s UK and Carr Gomm.

Terrific trustee – James Campbell – Bobath Scotland; Prof Gordon Dickson - CHAS; Abbie Wilson – Young Scot

John Bullough – Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance.

Winners of all categories will be announced at the award ceremony on June 22 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

The evening will begin with a red carpet welcome for guests, a drinks reception with networking followed by a three course dinner. The highlight will be the glittering awards ceremony, where 500 guests will hear more about out finalists before the winners are revealed. To book a place or table for the event, visit http://www.scvo.org.uk/scottish-charity-awards-2017/scottish-charity-awards-2017-book-a-table/ .

Martin Sime, chief executive, SCVO, said: “Year after year Scottish charities and voluntary organisations prove themselves to be beacons for creativity, tenacity and innovation. This year’s Scottish Charity Awards finalists demonstrate these qualities in abundance and are shining examples of how people can work together to make Scotland a better place.”