The heroes of Glasgow’s North East will be honoured in a blaze of glory tonight.
Springburn Fire Station will open its doors for the ninth and penultimate awards ceremony in the second season of the Glasgow Community Champion Awards.
As well as six trophies being handed out, a fire crew will be on call at the ceremony, during which readers can meet the nominees and chat to representatives from the awards partners over refreshments.
The North East’s catchment area covers those living or working in Springburn, Sighthill, Roystonhill, Germiston, Blackhill, Hogganfield, Balornock, Barmulloch, Robroyston and Millerston.
All entries were whittled down to a shortlist of 18 by a judging panel made up of Pat Rowlinston, representing Glasgow Community Planning Partnership; Councillor Jim Todd, of Glasgow City Council; Chief Inspector David Halliday, of Strathclyde Police; Group Commander Stephen McGrath, of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue; and Helen Smith, communities editor of the Evening Times.
All winners from across the city will be invited to the Grand Final in October, where the city’s overall champions will be crowned.
Tonight’s finalists are:
TEAM AWARD
The BARMULLOCH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMPANY members operate youth football teams, healthy eating initiatives, single parent employment programmes, and organised the annual family day, C In The Park, in Robroyston Park.
SPRINGBURN ALIVE & KICKING offers help to more than 3000 elderly and disabled residents of North Glasgow.
Its six staff are supported by more than 40 volunteers who pitch in to help cook meals, take part in fundraising events and drive members to and from the centre.
Since forming in 2005, the members of ROBROYSTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL have worked to campaign on issues ranging from planning decisions and public transport to health and youth facilities.
INDIVIDUAL AWARD
To many local people, MARGARET THOMSON is known as “the voice of Sighthill”.
The assistant manager of Sighthill Community One Stop Shop – an advice facility she helped found – has been active in the community since helping establish the community council in 1975. She has played an instrumental part in tenants’ associations, safer-Sighthill initiatives, and after-school programmes.
GARY McBAIN, 29, is using his experience of homelessness to deliver charity Move On’s workshops on homelessness and housing issues to vulnerable young people.
Springburn resident WILLIAM McCOOL has turned youths away from anti-social behaviour
and into sport by setting up a football team. He recently secured funding to buy football strips.
PUBLIC SERVICE TEAM AWARD
The BRUNSWICK CENTRE helps young people to help themselves by offering activities for health and self-improvement, while giving youngsters a say in the future of the facility.
It began in 1951 as the Brunswick Boys’ Club, and has since grown to offer youngsters aged 8-25 a five-a-side football pitch, new gym, art and music workshops, drama sessions and computer classes.
MOLENDINAR BURN PARK STEERING GROUP is a multi-agency team looking to reclaim derelict land and transform it into new play facilities and an improved park. It has already secured matched funding of £430,000 for the improvements.
More than 50% of the 260 staff of RSBi (ROYAL STRATHCLYDE BLINDCRAFT INDUSTRIES) have a learning or physical disability.
While building kitchens, timber kit frames and furniture, its staff, who are likened to a “large family”, always look out for each other and are actively encouraged to fulfil their potential through regular in-house training and learning.
PUBLIC SERVICE INDIVIDUAL AWARD
Four workers will fight it out in the Public Service Individual category.
GHA neighbourhood renewal officer DEBORAH GIBSON has helped develop play areas and youth diversionary projects in Sighthill, supported employment and training opportunities.
JUNE AIRD, through her role as outreach project worker with Red Road Family Centre, offers help on issues as varied as domestic abuse, homelessness, debt, mental health and welfare rights.
LINDA FRASER, the manager of Red Road Family Centre, has helped the quality of life for residents through the work of the centre.
For the last 20 years CONSTABLE IAN BROGAN has worked as a community police officer in the North East of Glasgow, with particular responsibility for the Blackhill area. He gives reassurance and support to vulnerable people.
SENIOR COMMUNITY CHAMPION
ROBERT LOWE was told 17 years ago he had a few months to live, but has used his experience of twice battling lung cancer to help others.
The 70-year-old, from Bishopbriggs, set up a monthly support group at Stobhill Hospital, in addition to acting as a patients’ advocate for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
HANNAH SIMPSON, 69, has given her free time to improving housing in Royston since helping found the Garngad Housing Association in the late-1980s.
MARGARET GRIMES is a force to be reckoned with in Springburn, whether she is serving hot drinks at a family day or providing a voice for the elderly at meetings of North Glasgow Housing Association.
YOUNG COMMUNITY CHAMPION
Springburn teenager ERIN FRIEL is a full-time volunteer with Depot Arts, giving up 30 hours a week to help deliver its programme for young people, including drama, music, dance, circus and visual art workshops.
Fellow finalist ROISIN CRAIG has been shortlisted for her work in giving young people at All Saints Secondary a voice. She led a group of pupils to give input on the sale of cheap alcohol to the Scottish Government’s Public Petitions Committee.
TIMES FILE
CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST OF NOMINEES AT:
