The Scottish Sports Awards 2023, hosted by sportscotland and Team Scotland, took place on Thursday 7 December where the success of individuals, schools, clubs, and teams across the whole of Scottish sport were honoured in an event that celebrated the best of Scottish sport.
Over the course of the last year, Scottish athletes have delivered tremendous success on the world stage, while at home we have seen the huge impact on local communities where schools, clubs, community projects and people are making a difference in sport across Scotland.
Selecting the winners was an exceptionally difficult task this year with historic performances from athletes like Beth Potter, Josh Kerr and Team Scotland’s Trinbago 2023 Rugby 7s, and life-changing work in local communities working hard to make sport and physical activity truly inclusive through winners like Active Life Club in Glasgow and Oaklands School in Edinburgh.
It was also an opportunity to celebrate the significant contribution of two sporting legends by inducting them into the Scottish Sport Hall of Fame – Julie Fleeting (football) and Ronald Ross (shinty).
Chair of sportscotland, Mel Young, said: “A huge congratulations to all the winners at this year’s Scottish Sport Awards. It has been a real celebration of the whole sporting system and recognition of the talent, hard work and dedication it takes to have an impact at every level.
“Every year the Scottish Sports Awards provide us with a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the power of sport and its ability to bring the nation together as Scotland’s athletes perform on the world stage, and to support the communities working so hard to reduce inequalities. Every winner at this year’s awards is truly deserving of recognition and celebration and I hope their achievements will inspire more people to embrace sport for life.”
Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland, Ian Reid, said: “This has been a fantastic celebration of a remarkable year of sporting achievement, both from our elite athletes flying the flag at major events and behind the scenes in clubs, schools and communities across Scotland.
“It has been great to continue our partnership with sportscotland to jointly host this inspirational event – working together to celebrate sport across Scotland, from the successes on the global stage to the many local heroes who continue to go above and beyond to help Scottish sport to flourish.
“Congratulations to all the winners and finalists, and a huge thank you to our partners and sponsors, whose support has made this fantastic event possible.”
The full shortlist of Scottish Sport Awards 2023 Winners:
Female Athlete of the Year
Katie Archibald MBE (Cycling)
Male Athlete of the Year
Josh Kerr (Athletics)
Para Athlete of the Year
Stephen Clegg (Swimming)
Young Athlete of the Year
Matthew Ward (Swimming)
Team of the Year
Team Scotland Trinbago 2023 Rugby 7s (Rugby)
Coach of the Year
Steve Doig (Athletics)
Scottish Governing Body Award
Scottish Cycling
Club Sport Award
Active Life Club
School Sport Award
Oaklands School
Community Hero Award
Billy Roberton
Sustainability in Scottish Sport Award
Aberfeldy Middle Distance Triathlon
Hall of Fame
Julie Fleeting MBE (Football) and Ronald Ross MBE (Shinty)
Sportsperson of the Year
Josh Kerr (Athletics)
St Andrew’s Day marks just one week to go until the 2023 Scottish Sports Awards where some of Scotland’s top sporting names will have a chance to add to their accolades, named as finalists in the Athlete of the Year categories after a year of inspiring performances at the highest level.
Awards will be made for Male, Female, and Para Athlete of the Year, with the winners of each going forward to be in with a chance of lifting the Lonsdale Trophy and the overall title of Scottish Sportsperson of the Year.
In the Male category middle-distance runner Josh Kerr, whose stand out moment of the year was taking World Championships 1500m gold ahead of Norwegian favourite Jacob Ingebritsen, is shortlisted alongside Robert MacIntyre, the first Scottish golfer since 2014 to make the Ryder Cup team and unbeaten on his debut as the Europeans regained the trophy, and swimmer Duncan Scott, who took a full set of gold, silver and bronze at the World Championships in Japan.
Seonaid McIntosh, winner of the Lonsdale Trophy in 2019, joins Katie Archibald and Beth Potter on the shortlist for Female Athlete of the Year. Seonaid’s outstanding performances included European silver and becoming the first British athlete ever to win gold in an ISSF Air Rifle event, Beth won both the Olympic Test event and the World Triathlon Series title in a breakthrough season and Katie showed incredible tenacity to top the podium at World and European Championships on the back of an unbelievably difficult year.
Stephen Clegg was in world record breaking form, becoming the first athlete to break 28 seconds for the 50m Backstroke and winning gold and two silver at the World Para-Swimming Championships. Neil Fachie added three gold medals with pilot Matt Rotherham at the UCI Cycling World Championships to bring his career tally to an impressive 19, while Samantha Kinghorn was on top form at the World Para-Athletics Championships, winning four medals including T53 100m gold, setting a championship record and holding off the challenge of World Record holder Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland. The three make up a string shortlist for Para Athlete of the Year.
Scotland’s rising stars are recognised with the award of Young Athlete of the Year and this year’s shortlist showcases some already making their mark at senior level. 18-year-old Kirsty Muir earned two X Games bronze medals, beating Olympic medallist Mathilde Gremaud by a point in the women’s ski big air and adding a second bronze in the slopestyle event. Ben Sandilands took gold in the T20 1500m at the World Para Athletics Championships, beating senior opposition at the age of just 19, breaking his own European record and setting a new championship record, while swimmer Matthew Ward took bronze in the 200m Individual Medley at the European Juniors, before becoming Scotland’s record medallist at the Commonwealth Youth Games with seven medals: four gold and three silver.
The winners will be announced a week today in front of a capacity audience at the Glasgow Science Centre, alongside winners in eight other categories: Sporting Moment, Team, Coach, Club, School, Community Hero, Sustainability and Governing Body.
The glittering ceremony will also see two new additions to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame, bringing the total number of Scottish sporting legends recognised in this way to over 100.
With The Scottish Sports Awards just over a month away, Team Scotland, in partnership with sportscotland, is excited to announce the launch of the Sporting Moment of the Year 2023 public vote.
From the standout moments at World and European championships to last minute victories snatched from the jaws of defeat, Scotland’s sporting stars have thrilled and inspired throughout the year in an impressive array of sports.
Ten top Scottish sporting moments have been shortlisted by our judges, with the winner to be determined by an online public vote. The award will go to the sporting performance over the last 12 months that has captured the hearts of the nation.
Will it be Duhan van der Merwe’s sensational try against England in the Six Nations Calcutta Cup victory, Caledonia Gladiators’ buzzer-beating win in the British Basketball League Trophy final, Glasgow City’s last-minute title-winner at Ibrox in the Scottish Women’s Premier League, Scotland’s 7-wicket victory over West Indies in the ICC World Cup Qualifier or Scotland’s late win over Norway in the Men’s UEFA European Championships Qualification match in Oslo that takes the title?
Or perhaps one of the standout moments as Scottish athletes claimed global titles: Beth Potter’s championship-winning performance at the World Triathlon Championships Finals in Pontevedra, Spain, Josh Kerr’s World Championship-winning finish in the World Athletics Championship 1500m Final, Fin Graham’s sixth medal of the UCI World Cycling Championships, defending his C3 Road Race title in the Scottish rain, Team Mouat’s World Championship win over host nation Canada or Sammi Kinghorn’s World Para Athletics Championship gold medal win, defeating both the defending champion and Paralympic champion.
Each of these moments has made Scotland proud, but which deserves to take the title of Sporting Moment of the Year 2023?
Register your vote in our Online Poll
Voting will close at 5pm on Wednesday 1 November with the winner to be revealed at The Scottish Sports Awards on Thursday 7 December.
Team Scotland and sportscotland are delighted to reveal the shortlists for The Scottish Sports Awards 2023.
In a year packed with success at the highest level for our established stars and teams, and young athletes making their mark at the Commonwealth Youth Games and beyond, the competition will be fierce.
The winner of the Female, Male, Para-Athlete, Team and Young Athlete categories will contest for the overall title of Scotland’s Sportsperson of the Year.
We will also welcome the latest inductees to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame, taking the number of Scottish sporting legends recognised in this way past the 100 mark for the first time.
Held in a new format at the Glasgow Science Centre, guests will be treated to a night of celebration and a chance to revel in the stories and moments of the year on the biggest screen in Scotland, as well as rubbing shoulders with the great and the good of Scottish Sport.
Proceeds from the night will be donated to the Team Scotland Youth Trust.
Shortlists – CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON EACH OF THE FINALISTS
Female Athlete of the Year: Katie Archibald MBE (Cycling), Seonaid McIntosh (Shooting), Beth Potter (Triathlon)
Male Athlete of the Year: Josh Kerr (Athletics), Robert MacIntyre (Golf), Duncan Scott MBE (Swimming)
Para Athlete of the Year: Stephen Clegg (Swimming), Sammi Kinghorn MBE (Athletics), Neil Fachie OBE (Cycling)
Young Athlete of the Year: Kirsty Muir (Skiing), Ben Sandilands (Athletics), Matthew Ward (Swimming)
Team of the Year: Scotland Men’s National Team (Football), Team Mouat (Curling), Team Scotland Trinbago 2023 Rugby 7s (Rugby)
Moment of the Year: Duhan van der Merwe’s sensational try against England in the Six Nations Calcutta Cup victory, Caledonia Gladiators’ buzzer-beating win in the British Basketball League Trophy final, Glasgow City’s last-minute title-winner at Ibrox in the Scottish Women’s Premier League, Beth Potter’s championship-winning performance at the World Triathlon Championships Finals in Pontevedra, Spain, Josh Kerr’s World Championship-winning finish in the World Athletics Championship 1500m Final, Scotland’s 7-wicket victory over West Indies in the ICC World Cup Qualifier, Fin Graham’s sixth medal of the UCI World Cycling Championships, defending his C3 Road Race title in the Scottish rain, Scotland’s late win over Norway in the Men’s UEFA European Championships Qualification match in Oslo, Team Mouat’s World Championship win over host nation Canada, Sammi Kinghorn’s World Para Athletics Championship gold medal win, defeating both the defending champion and Paralympic champion.
Coach of the Year: Steve Clarke (Football), Steve Doig (Athletics), Gareth Murray (Basketball)
Scottish Governing Body Award: Scottish Athletics, Scottish Cycling, Scottish Disability Sport
Club Sport Award: Active Life Club, FC United Powerchair Football Club, Inverness Tennis and Squash Club
School Sport Award: Oaklands School, Perth Grammar School, Stirling Inclusion Support Service
Community Hero Award: Karen Kelly, Ruby McDonald, Billy Roberton
Sustainability in Scottish Sport Award: Aberfeldy Middle Distance Triathlon, Anna Burnet with John Gimson (Sailing), Scottish Student Sport
The Scottish Sports Awards 2023, hosted by Team Scotland and sportscotland, will take place on Thursday 7 December 2023, and will celebrate the best of Scottish Sport.
In a new format and held at the prestigious Glasgow Science Centre, join us to mark a fantastic year of achievement on the biggest screen in Scotland. Guests will be treated to a night of celebration, food and drinks as well as rubbing shoulders with the great and the good of Scottish Sport.
Nominations are now open, so let us know who you think should take the plaudits in a wide range of categories from Community Hero, Club and School to our top athletes performing at the highest level. Nominations close at 5pm on Wednesday 27th September.
Nominating is easy – just CLICK HERE and choose the link for the relevant category.
Tickets are on sale now, at a cost of £65 per ticket which includes a welcome drink, bowl food and awards presentation.
CLICK HERE to purchase your ticket! Availability is limited so act quickly to avoid missing out!
Proceeds from the night will be donated to the Team Scotland Youth Trust.
Brothers Neil and Andrew Simpson have become the first winter sports athletes ever to be named Scottish Sportsperson of the Year at the 2022 Scottish Sports Awards.
A host of sporting stars, including medallists from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games attended the event which was hosted in partnership between Commonwealth Games Scotland and sportscotland for the first time. The evening was an inspirational celebration of their outstanding achievements, as well as the success of individuals, schools, clubs and teams across the whole of Scottish sport.
After being named Para Athlete of the Year, Neil and Andrew then put their names on the historic Lonsdale Trophy alongside past winners such as Sir Chris Hoy, Sir Andy Murray and Dame Katherine Grainger. The pair won Super Combined silver at the World Championships in Norway in January 2022 before claiming Britain’s first male Paralympic gold on snow at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, triumphing in the men’s Super-G competition and also picking up a bronze in the Super Combined.
“It’s a huge honour to have been nominated for these two awards, never mind to actually win them, and a great way to cap off and amazing year for us both,” said Neil.
“It’s a fantastic way to end a fantastic year,” added Andrew. “At the start of the year we could never have believed any of this would happen so we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s supported us, especially GB Snowport, UK Sport and the sportscotland Institute of Sport.”
The Team GB Olympic women’s curling team of Eve Muirhead, Vicky Wright, Jen Dodds, Hailey Duff and Mili Smith took the Team award after defying the odds at Beijing 2022, winning their semi-final against defending champions Sweden before dominating the final to win a first Olympic curling title for Team GB in 20 years. A European title and top spot in the World ranking completed a season to remember.
David Murdoch took Coach of the Year having guided Scottish pairs to the Mixed Doubles World title in 2021 and 2022, Scotland’s men and women to gold at the European Championships and overseeing Team GB’s greatest ever Olympic curling success at Beijing 2022 as the women won gold and the men silver.
It was also a golden night for athletics as Jake Wightman and Laura Muir scooped the Male Athlete and Female Athlete of the Year titles respectively, with Eilish McColgan taking Sporting Moment of the Year for her memorable 10,000m victory at Birmingham 2022.
Jake’s sensational 1500m gold at the World Championships in Oregon, followed by medals at both the Commonwealth Games and European Championships, gave him the nod, as did Laura’s four medals from four major finals, including Commonwealth and European 1500m gold. Eilish won Sporting Moment of the Year, her incredible finish to hold off the challenge of Kenya’s Irine Cheptai securing the majority of the public vote.
Four-time IndyCar Series champion and three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, Dario Franchitti became the 99th inductee into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. Franchitti, who retired in 2014, is one of British motor sport’s most successful drivers of all time.In contrast, at the start of her sporting career, Niamh Mitchell was the winner of the Sir Peter Heatly Trophy as Young Athlete of the Year following her historic win at the European Junior Boxing Championships, when she became the first Scottish female boxer ever to win gold at a major international event.
Individuals and organisations driving success at all levels of Scottish sport were also honoured, with Scottish Handball winning Sport Governing Body of the Year and Raza Sadiq named as Community Hero of the Year for his tireless work to promote diversity and inclusion with Active Life Club, while Falkirk Junior Bike Club took the Club Sport and Rosebank Primary School the School Sport Award. Driving a co-ordinated sustainability drive across a packed summer of golf, GEO Foundation were the inaugural winners of the Sustainability in Scottish Sport Award.
There was also a Special Recognition Award for Stewart Harris who retired this year after 16 years as Chief Executive of sportscotland.
Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland, Paul Bush OBE, said: “This has been a fantastic celebration of, not only a remarkable year of sporting achievement, but the perseverance of our athletes, sports and wider supporters through the challenges we’ve all faced over the last few years.
“It has been great to come together with sportscotland this year to jointly host a combined awards evening for the first time – working in partnership to celebrate sport across Scotland, from the successes on the global stage to the many local heroes who continue to go above and beyond to help Scottish sport to flourish.
“A huge thank you to our partners and sponsors, whose support has made this fantastic event possible.”
Chair of sportscotland, Mel Young MBE, said: “It has been another fantastic year for all levels of Scottish sport and we are delighted to once again celebrate the many successes of the past 12 months at the Scottish Sports Awards.
“Scottish athletes have continued to shine on the global stage including at the record-breaking Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games but these awards also pay testament to the incredible work being done in communities across the country to help create opportunities for as many people as possible to take part in sport.
“Each and every winner, and indeed the finalists, deserve to be recognised for their achievements.”
Close to 600 people joined the celebrations at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, where the evening was hosted by highly respected sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter and award-winning TV presenter Jennifer Reoch, with funds raised for the Team Scotland Youth Trust.
2022 AWARD WINNERS
Scottish Sportsperson of the Year – Lonsdale Trophy: Neil Simpson MBE with Andrew Simpson MBE (skiing)
Male Athlete of the Year – sponsored by Bruntsfield Sports: Jake Wightman, (athletics)
Female Athlete of the Year – sponsored by QTV Sports: Laura Muir (athletics)
Para Athlete of the Year – sponsored by Eden Mill: Neil Simpson MBE with Andrew Simpson MBE (skiing)
Young Athlete of the Year – Sir Peter Heatly Trophy, sponsored by the Team Scotland Youth Trust: Niamh Mitchell (boxing)
Team of the Year: Team GB Olympic women’s curling team
Coach of the Year – sponsored by EICC: David Murdoch MBE(curling)
Sporting Moment of the Year: Eilish McColgan (athletics) Birmingham 2022 10,000m gold
Community Hero of the Year – sponsored by SAMH: Raza Sadiq (Active Life Club)
Governing Body of the Year – sponsored by Team Scotland: Scottish Handball
School Sport Award – sponsored by Young Scot: Rosebank Primary School
Club Sport Award – sponsored by sportscotland: Falkirk Junior Bike Club
Sustainability in Scottish Sport Award – sponsored by Commonwealth Games Scotland: GEO Foundation
Hall of Fame – sponsored by Commonwealth Games Scotland: Dario Franchitti(motor sport)
Special Recognition Award: Stewart Harris (sportscotland)
With The Scottish Sports Awards just over a month away, Team Scotland, in partnership with sportscotland, is excited to announce the launch of the Sporting Moment of the Year 2022 public vote.
From the standout moments of Team Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games outside Scotland at Birmingham 2022 to gold on the global stage, both winter and summer, Scotland’s sporting stars have thrilled and inspired throughout the year in an impressive array of sports.
Eight top Scottish sporting moments have been shortlisted by our judges, with the winner to be determined by an online public vote. The award will go to the sporting performance over the last 12 months that has captured the hearts of the nation.
Louise Christie’s silver-medal winning ‘Braveheart’ performance stole the show in Birmingham, as did Tyler Jolly’s record 11-second knock-out on his way to the boxing podium. Eilish McColgan winning 10,000m gold will live long in the memories of those who saw it, with Team Muirhead’s gold medal performance at the Beijing Olympic Games and Jake Wightman’s stunning World 1500m gold equally memorable. Laura Muir made it three medals from three majors with European gold, while Ross Murdoch coming back from retirement to win a Commonwealth Games bronze medal and Micky Yule bringing his daughter onto the podium after winning Commonwealth bronze at his third try left barely a dry eye in the house.
Each of these moments has made Scotland proud, but which deserves to take the title of Sporting Moment of the Year 2022?
Register your vote in our Online Poll
Voting will close at 12.00 noon on Monday 7 November with the winner to be revealed at The Scottish Sports Awards on Wednesday 7 December.
Team Scotland and sportscotland are delighted to reveal the shortlists for The Scottish Sports Awards 2022.
In a year packed with success at the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games and other events at home and abroad, the competition will be fierce.
The winner of the Female, Male, Para-Athlete, Team and Young Athlete categories will contest for the overall title of Scotland’s Sportsperson of the Year. We will also welcome the latest inductee to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame, incorporated for the first time into the awards night.
Held at the prestigious Edinburgh International Conference Centre, guests will be treated to live entertainment and a three-course meal, as well as rubbing shoulders with the great and the good of Scottish Sport.
Proceeds from the night will be donated to the Team Scotland Youth Trust.
Shortlists – CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON EACH OF THE FINALISTS
Female Athlete of the Year: Sarah Adlington (Judo), Neah Evans (Cycling), Eilish McColgan (Athletics), Laura Muir (Athletics).
Male Athlete of the Year: Jack Carlin (Cycling), Sam Hickey (Boxing), Duncan Scott MBE, Jake Wightman.
Para Athlete of the Year: Stephen Clegg (Swimming), Sean Frame (Athletics), Neil Simpson MBE with Andrew Simpson MBE (Skiing), Neil Fachie OBE with Lewis Stewart (Cycling).
Young Athlete of the Year: Niamh Mitchell (Boxing), Kirsty Muir (Skiing), Katie Shanahan (Swimming), Toni Shaw (Swimming).
Team of the Year: Robert Barr, Sarah Jane Ewing, Melanie Inness, George Miller (Para Lawn Bowls); Garry Brown and Kevin Wallace; Rosemary Lenton and Pauline Wilson (Para Lawn Bowls); Greg Lobban and Rory Stewart (Squash); Eve Muirhead OBE, Jennifer Dodds MBE, Mili Smith MBE, Hailey Duff MBE, Vicky Drummond MBE (nee Wright) (Curling); James Heatly and Grace Reid (Diving).
Moment of the Year: Louise Christie’s silver-medal winning ‘Braveheart’ performance; Tyler Jolly’s 11-second knock-out at Birmingham 2022; Eilish McColgan winning 10,000m gold at Birmingham 2022; Team Muirhead’s gold medal performance at the Beijing Olympic Games; Laura Muir making it three medals from three majors with European gold; Ross Murdoch coming back from retirement to win a Commonwealth Games bronze medal; Jake Wightman becoming World Champion in Eugene; Micky Yule bringing his daughter onto the podium after winning Commonwealth bronze.
Coach of the Year: Bob Christie (Para Lawn Bowls), Craig McEvoy (Boxing), David Murdoch (Curling), Steve Tigg (Swimming).
Sport Governing Body Award: Scottish Cycling, Scottish Handball Association, Scottish Hockey, Scottish Squash.
Club Sport Award: Ayr United Women and Girls Club, Biggar Netball Club, Falkirk Junior Bike Club, Hamilton Judo Club.
School Sport Award: Arran High School, Balfron High School, Kirkcaldy High School, Rosebank Primary School.
Community Hero Award: Kiana Coutts, Graeme Doig, Graham Harvey, Raza Sadiq.
Sustainability in Scottish Sport Award: Aberdeenshire Sailing Trust, Adventure Oban, GEO Foundation, Ullapool Community Sports Hub Feel Good Festival.
Tickets are now on sale for The Scottish Sports Awards 2022!
Hosted by Team Scotland and sportscotland at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Wednesday 7th December, the night will celebrate the best of Scottish Sport in 2022.
Guests will be treated to live entertainment and a three-course meal, as well as rubbing shoulders with the great and the good of Scottish Sport.
Tables of 10 are available for £975, with individual tickets on sale at £120. Proceeds from the night will be donated to the Team Scotland Youth Trust, who exist to support young Scottish athletes achieve their potential.
CLICK HERE TO SECURE YOUR TICKETS
Please contact scottishsportsawards@eventsair.visitscotland.com with any ticket sales questions.
Nominations
The nominations deadline has been extended, so you now have until 5pm on Monday 10th October to submit your nominations across 13 categories.
Sustainability in Scottish Sport Award
Sponsorship Packages
For more information on sponsorship packages, from category sponsors to bespoke supplier agreements, please contact Colin Millar – colin.millar@teamscotland.scot.
In celebration of the successful Team Scotland Stars Awards, which saw a huge range of inspiring nominations and thousands of votes in online polls, Mark McGuire and Helping Hands Edinburgh have been named the recipients of special Judges’ Choice awards for their efforts over the lockdown period.
First launched in June of this year, Team Scotland Stars recognised those going above and beyond to help others through the Coronavirus pandemic, with a series of monthly awards which garnered huge support from the Scottish public. Each month a panel of judges whittled down the nominations to just four finalists in Individual and Group / Organisation categories, with the final decision coming down to a public vote.
The Judges’ Choice awards recognise two finalists whose achievements and dedication struck a chord with the panel over the three months.
In the Individual category this was Mark McGuire, a University of Stirling student and former Mountain Bike Cross Country athlete, who raised over £29,000 for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) in memory of his best friend Ben Forsyth who passed away in 2018. He took on the incredible challenge of running 30 marathons in 30 days (a staggering 786 miles of running, taking just over 125 hours). Mark initially aimed to raise £500 and increase awareness for CRY, far surpassing his target. The money he raised will allow young adults and athletes to get screened for heart conditions they may not know they have.
He said: “It was amazing to raise so much money and awareness for Cardiac Risk in the Young, a charity very close to me. I never thought I’d raise nearly that amount! The support throughout the month was insane which kept me running and smiling. For sure the challenge was very tough physically and mentally though, with week one of the challenge being a shock to the body! My feet and knees did not enjoy week one. It means so much to me raising money for CRY which can fund heart screenings and support the charity.”
In the Group/Organisation category it was Helping Hands Edinburgh’s huge impact on their local community that caught the judges’ eye. Their People’s Free Food Program during the Covid-19 pandemic has delivered thousands of free cooked meals, survival packs of non-perishable food and toiletries, fresh fruit & veg boxes and recipe packs, providing people in housing schemes across Edinburgh with the means to cook nutritional meals. Free online keep fit classes and mental health videos, plus a Helping Hands Sports Club via the Strava App, are helping people to stay active. They have also delivered hundreds of new bikes to kids in need throughout Edinburgh, as well as running a recycle a bike initiative, supporting staying active and making healthy life choices.
Jim Slaven, Helping Hands Co-Founder said: “Thank you so much to Team Scotland and the judges for recognising the incredible hard work of our volunteers. Helping Hands strategy, which is based on creativity and collective action, continues to grow and deliver remarkable results in communities across Edinburgh. As Scotland’s biggest all-volunteer organisation, and rejecting all state funding, it is the time and effort of our volunteers that are central to our approach. So it is wonderful to see the positive outcomes we are delivering being recognised in this way.”
Paul Bush OBE, Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “Our two Judges’ Choice winners stood out for their incredible commitment to helping others through difficult times and the recognition is truly deserved. A huge well done to all our other winners, finalists and nominees across the three months of these awards. They have highlighted just a snapshot of the ongoing support from athletes, clubs and organisations to individuals and communities in need across Scotland. It’s been inspiring to see the Scottish sporting community rising to the challenge in these unprecedented circumstances. These examples show just how important sport is in making a difference, not only to individuals, but to the fabric of Scottish life and how vital it is that that sport at all levels not only survives but thrives as we enter a new stage.”
Falkirk Junior Bike Club and Kevin Brooks from Nairn Boxing Club were named the first ever winners of a Team Scotland Stars award back in June, both inspiring others to stay active through the new reality of lockdown. FJBC’s impressive fundraising activities for a local hospice and innovative Cycling Passport scheme gave them the nod, while all were inspired by former Scots Guard Kevin, who kept training going for his boxers while caring for his autistic son, as well as using his own experiences battling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to help others.
In July, Stenhousemuir FC topped the poll after coordinating one of the largest community initiatives in Scotland, still ongoing, involving almost 200 volunteers and providing support to 350 vulnerable households every week. In July’s Individual category Cartha Queens Park’s first team coach Thomas Davidson took the plaudits for his innovative ways of ensuring all players and club members were kept involved and engaged.
Gymnastics led the way in August with Beacon Rhythmic Gymnastics Club and Chris Chalk from Central Gymnastics Academy sweeping the top spots in group and individual categories respectively. Beacon impressed with their emphasis on the health and well-being of all their members, as well as a series of virtual competitions attracting entries from across Scotland as well as further afield, while Chris’s dedication and creativity stood out in building a new normal online and outdoors for members and non-members alike when facilities closed.
Once current restrictions have been lifted, all Team Scotland Stars winners will be invited to a Team Scotland event where they will presented with their award and receive the recognition they deserve.