Pride of Scotland Awards 2023: Glasgow nominees to be honoured for services to Scotland

Tonight, Thursday June 22, will be another evening honouring and celebrating the extraordinary individuals from across Scotland who have made a lasting impact on the lives of others.

Hosted in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms by Scottish icons Elaine C Smith and Sanjeev Kohli, the awards bring together a remarkable array of famous faces from Scotland and beyond to celebrate some truly awe-inspiring achievements.

This year’s awards ceremony will see winners of all ages and from all walks of life being celebrated for their astounding achievements; whether they have performed outstanding acts of courage, fought seemingly hopeless battles against the odds, displayed boundless compassion, or inspired everyone with their tireless campaigning for others.

Categories include Outstanding Bravery, Emergency Services, Special Recognition, Child/Teenager of Courage, Young Fundraiser, TSB Community Hero and Prince’s Trust Young Achiever.

Young winners include14-year-old Isla Grist, who captured the heart of the nation with her bravery living with a cruel and agonising condition, inspiring Graeme Souness’ fundraising Channel swim; 10-year-old Jade Edward, the quadruple amputee who is now making big waves as one of the UK’s top young surfers; and siblings Grace and Harry Sinclair, who inspire everyone with their bravery and fundraising to help other families coping with cancer.

Winners from Glasgow include Roy Cox OBE for the Lifetime Achievement Award and Steven McCluskey for the special recognition award. Not quite in Glasgow but not far beyond, representing Renfrew we have the incredible woman and Scottish granny of the century, Roseann Gibson, for the outstanding bravery award.

The 2023 TSB Community Heroes are the ClownDoctors, a troupe of fun-loving clowns who bring sunshine to children’s wards and hospices across Scotland. Their remarkable efforts have had a profound and positive impact on both young and old people during the toughest days of their lives.

This year’s awards will be a star-studded event, with a host of celebrities set to attend on the night to celebrate the country’s heroes, such as: David McGowan, Graeme Souness, Ruby Barker, Libby Clegg, Charlene Boyd, Gavin Mitchell, Janey Godley, Joyce Falconer, Laurie Brett, Kirsty Hanson, Martin Dougan, Paige Turley, Laura Anderson, Tallia Storm, Stephen Clegg, Sanjeev Kohli, Elaine C Smith, Fred MacAulay, Gayle Telfer Stevens, Gary Meikle, Richard Whitehead, Kelly-Ann Woodland, Kirsty Hanson, Anna Campbell and Chris Forbes.

Elaine C Smith is delighted to be back at the helm of the Awards. She said “Life is tough and we must grab the happiness when we can. A steady stream of awfulness emerges through 24-hour news and social media but Pride of Scotland highlights the good there is in the world.

“This year’s winners don’t just give those around them a pocketful of happiness, they give them bucket loads and that’s why we need to gie them laldy and celebrate their achievements in style.”

Co-host Sanjeev Kohli said, “I am thrilled to be presenting the 2023 Pride of Scotland Awards alongside Elaine. This year’s winners have truly exemplified the resilience, compassion, and determination that make Scotland proud - it’s going to be a very special night indeed.”

Speaking on behalf of the Awards’ partner TSB, Gary Jones, Customer Delivery Director, said, “At TSB, we’re delighted to support the Pride of Scotland Awards, and it’s been a real pleasure for me to be part of this year’s judging panel. There were so many inspirational stories from all over Scotland, it was incredibly tough to choose between them.

“The communities we serve are at the heart of what we do at TSB, so we’re particularly proud to support the TSB Community Hero award, and this year recognise the outstanding efforts of the ClownDoctors, who have worked tirelessly for over 25 years to help bring smiles to the faces of thousands of sick children across Scotland.”

The Daily Record Pride of Scotland Awards with TSB will be filmed and available to watch from June 28, via the official Pride of Scotland social media channels: @prideofscotland. For further information and to stay up-to-date with the latest news and announcements, visit the official website at www.prideofscotland.org.