THEY braved the gale-force winds and freezing temperatures to take part in a night full of warmth.

In the impressive surroundings of Glasgow City Chambers, our nominees gathered to find out who would be the 2013 Evening Times Community Champions.

From sport stars to community groups, public service workers and our uniformed heroes, it was an evening to celebrate the very best of Glasgow.

There were tears, laughter and dancing - not just from our winners but from council leader Gordon Matheson.

He joined members of the Help Yourself Grow Experience in a special celebratory jig.

The evening began with a minute's silence to honour those who died in the Clutha bar disaster.

And the emergency service workers present on the night were given a spontaneous round of applause.

Despite their diversity, the one thread drawing all our shortlisted groups together is that they are already winners.

Jane Melley, service manager for Aberlour Youthpoint Glasgow, said: "To be here is fabulous for us - it was the first time we had been nominated.

"Winning our category at the local awards was fantastic but to win here tonight would be something else again."

For all who made it to the grand final, gaining acknowledgment of their work was the most important part of the event.

Isabel Harland, project manager of Govan and Craigton Integration Network, said: "This is the first big award we have been nominated for.

"We are all really pleased, especially the women involved in the women's group. For them it's a real achievement and it is great to see them recognised.

"They are really proud to be nominated."

Henry Smith, of 3D Drumchapel, added: "Last year our project manager won through to this stage and we can't believe we've made it this far again.

"It's absolutely fabulous and really helps with our fundrasing to be able to say we have been recognised in this way.

"To be here tonight is wonderful for us."

Presented by Diane Knox-Campbell, also known as 'Knoxy' from Clyde1, the awards saw charities from across the city take their moment in the spotlight.

Martha Pearson, of the Women's Centre Information and Support Project in Easterhouse, said: "It's a high for us to be here.

All of our group is here and really excited. It's the recognition of our good work that's really important."

Stephanie McCallum, of Drumchapel Table Tennis Club, added: "It's absolutely fantastic and demonstrates that we are doing the right thing in Drumchapel and getting recognition of that is an honour."

Craig Menzies, service development manager for Macmillan@Glasgow Libraries, said: "There are nine of us here tonight and we're having a great time.

"This award is particularly important to us because it's from the Evening Times and the Evening Times has always given us recognition and support.

"We are all about working in local communities and that's something the Evening Times supports, and what these awards are all about.

"Macmillan@Glasgow Libraries was originally set up in the north west of Glasgow and has grown a lot since, so it is great to be rewarded for our community service by an organisation that realises the importance of communities."

School groups and young people were also well represented. Paul Kierney, a teacher at John Paul Academy, said: "It is fantastic recognition of the goodness which shines out of our pupils and into our school and community.

Glasgow's unsung sports stars also turned out for the event.

Victor Francisco- Suarez, who founded the Glasgow Lions touch rugby club in 2007, said: "This is actually the best thing that can happen to anyone, because you are nominated by someone else; it's a great honour to be here.

"I'm delighted to be here and I am really proud of being nominated.

Looking around the City Chambers, he said: "This building is absolutely beautiful and a stunning place to have the awards."

And Thomas Bentley, who works at Nethercraigs Sports Complex, in the South West, added: "I don't ask for anything - I just do what I do. I've really just been nominated for my day-to-day job.

"I love the children and they love me, so it makes my work easy. I feel I don't deserve an award."

As the evening drew to a close, people remarked on how well deserving their peers were of recognition.

Michael Fletcher said: "It's amazing to be nominated but looking at everyone else and what they have done I feel like I don't deserve to be here.

"They have all done amazing things... better work than me. And it's great to see people realising how important that work is.

"I'm not just in good company, I'm in far better company."

catriona.stewart@ eveningtimes.co.uk