IT'S almost time to find out who will join last year's winners by being named victors in the Evening Times Streets Ahead awards for 2014.

Those taking the top slots will be announced at a fun, informal ceremony, hosted by Clean Glasgow, in the Winter Gardens on June 19.

A judging panel of representatives from our campaign partners - Clean Glasgow, Glasgow Housing Association, Scottish Fire and Rescue, City Charitable Trust and Scotrail - whittled down the number of entries to a final shortlist.

Chairwoman of the panel, Evening Times news editor Helen Smith, said: "We had an extremely high standard of entries across all categories this year and it was difficult to narrow it down to a final few.

"We are delighted that our Streets Ahead campaign continues to inspire people of all ages, and across all areas of Glasgow, to imp-rove their communities."

The Streets Ahead Awards, now in their third year, are designed to pay tribute to the men, women and children who have transformed the city over the past 12 months. From clean-up kings and queens to gardening gurus and inspirational businesses, they are improving Glasgow's streets, gardens, parks and shopping areas.

Trophies will be presen-ted for the best garden, best clean-up campaign, best environmental initiative, best community garden, best community initiative and best business initiative, plus a schools award.

There will also be an overall winner chosen by the judges.

This year's finalists for Best Clean Up Campaign are: F.O.R.K (Friends of the River Kelvin), who work tirelessly to keep the river clean and healthy; Pollokshaws Area Network, who transform the area with regular clean-ups; and GHA Concierges of Tinwald Path, who work above and beyond normal duties to provide a better standard of living for tenants.

The three contenders for Best Environmental Initiative are: Love Milton, a successful project in the north of city which encompasses a zero-carbon self-build programme, community orchard, community garden and recycling schemes; Urban Roots which works across the South Side on garden-ing, conservation, bio-diversity and environ-mental projects; and Rags to Riches, a social enterprise tackling recycling and training in Govanhill.

The Best Community Garden finalists are: Little Roots Families@Ruchill, a family gardening project which encourages local people to grow their own food; Craigton Action Residents Group, which transformed derelict land into a popular garden used for local events; and Castlemilk Community Garden Project, which has brought together a raft of local organisations to create a beautiful garden and play area the whole community can enjoy.

The three companies up for this year's Green Glasgow Business Award are: Asda Robroyston which organises regular clean-ups; Gorbals Recycles, which provides a free bike repair service for children, plus a bike recycling scheme; and Locavore Community Interest Company, which runs a host of gardening and food initiatives aimed at creating sustainable local food economies.

The three finalists in the Best Community Initiative category are: Fair Deal HYG, which works with people who have learning disabilities, on garden projects around Glasgow; PEEK Play Team, which provides outdoor play provision to more than 450 children around the city; and North Glasgow Food Initiative, which encourage food projects such as gardening, fruit barrows and cookery classes.

Finally, the three schools fighting it out to be named best in Glasgow are: Ibrox Primary; Hillhead Primary; Orchard Grove Kindergarten.

n If you would like to get involved in Streets Ahead, or simply want to find out more, visit www.evening times.co.uk or email streetsahead@heraldand times.co.uk