Govanites don’t have to look too far to find examples of local icons, as Alex Ferguson or even Rab C Nesbitt could testify.
But equally important are the unsung heroes who make an extraordinary effort to improve their community.
And the Evening Times wants to hear about them in the latest stage of the Glasgow Community Champion Awards.
By Sunday’s deadline we want to know about the people who go the extra mile in Greater Govan and Craigton. Last year we were bowled over by the buzzing sense of community spirit at the dedicated awards ceremony, where a traditional boatbuilding trust, an inspirational youth worker, a football charity fundraiser and a group of “enterprising badgers” were among those honoured.
Entries must be for people living or working in Ibrox, Tradeston, Govan, Bellahouston, Craigton, Mosspark, Cardonald, Penilee, Crookston, Corkerhill, Drumoyne or Hillington.
The winners of six categories will be named at a high-profile ceremony on March 25 at Penilee Community Centre on Gleddoch Road.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy refreshments and sandwiches while chatting to representatives from the awards’ partners.
The awards are a partnership between, Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Police, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, Glasgow Community Planning Partnership and the Evening Times.
Lord Provost Bob Winter said: “The Community Champion Awards are about rewarding those who put something of themselves into their local area. By doing so, they make their community a better place, and encourage others to contribute as active citizens and good neighbours.”
All 60 winners from each of the 10 areas will be invited to a gala finale at the City Chambers in October, when the overall Community Champions will be crowned.
CASE STUDY: TOMMY MOONEY
He’s more accustomed to being on call for residents’ needs, but then Tommy Mooney found himself relying on others to help him through a difficult patch.
The 54-year-old concierge from Mosspark refused to allow treatment for polycystic kidney disease stop him. For two years he completed his 12-hour shifts while having dialysis three times a day – including once in his lunch-hour and once in his tea-break.
And after receiving a donor kidney in 2005, he was back at work within six months.
“If somebody’s good enough to give me that kidney, I don’t want to sit about the house and waste it,” says Tommy, who works at the Queensland Court high-rise flats in Cardonald.
“I’ve got a wee granddaughter and if it wasn’t for that kidney transplant I wouldn’t have seen her. If I can get up in the morning and do a bit of work, that will do fine.”
Tommy started working at the two multi-storey blocks as a relief caretaker 26 years ago.
He and colleague Mick Strain now take care of the maintenance, cleaning and security for the 228 households.
Staff at the Glasgow Housing Association are well aware they perform many more duties than their job description to provide a helping hand for many residents, and are just a phone call away when an elderly resident needs items taken to the bin room, helping when goods are delivered or shopping.
Tommy said: “How else is an elderly person going to get rid of an old three-piece suite?
“We help people with washing machines and do wee jobs for them. We make sure they’re alright.
“I’ve seen people growing up and getting married here, and their son or daughter will get a house in the same block or the other block.
“It’s just like a wee family unit. People come back to the flats because they liked it here when they were younger.”
CASE STUDY: JIMMY DEUCHARS
Mosspark grandad Jimmy Deuchars has few fond memories when he thinks back to the fight he and his wife Margaret endured to see their grandchildren. The couple’s daughter Susan, 25, died from breast cancer in 1993 and soon after they lost touch with their son-in-law who remarried and moved to Liverpool, taking his two daughters.
“You’re devastated when you realise you’ve no rights to your grandchildren and no-one to give us advice,” says Jimmy, 65, a former taxi driver. “There wasn’t anything except lawyers, so we started a group to help others and ourselves.”
Since 2000, the couple have battled to expand the work and profile of Grandparents Apart UK, a charity which offers support to grandparents affected by separation and campaigns for legal rights. It now counsels families across the country and offers a listening ear and advice and advocates mediation services.
Jimmy added: “Mediation solved our problem, so I don’t see why it can’t solve most problems.”
Jimmy and Margaret now have regular contact with their granddaughters Joanne, 18, and Nicola, 16, who still live in Liverpool, and often make 850-mile round trips to visit them.
Jimmy, who had to give up driving because of severe arthritis, recently fought back to health from aggressive bowel cancer after an operation to remove three-quarters of his bowel – if he hadn’t, he had two years to live.
He continues to run meetings in Govan and co-wrote a book, Grandparents Speak Out For Vulnerable Children.
Much of Grandparents Apart’s work centres on lobbying for grandparents’ rights, and it was invited by the Scottish Executive to help compile a Charter For Grandchildren, recommendations to be considered by Glasgow City Council.
“When my daughter died and the children were taken away, we did what she wanted us to do, and we’ve fulfilled the need for grandparents to be in grandchildren’s lives,” said Jimmy.
THE CATEGORIES...
We are looking for nominations of worthy candidates in each of these categories:
INDIVIDUAL AWARD
This is for people who give up their free time to make a significant contribution to other people’s lives or to a community.
TEAM AWARD
This recognises the life-enhancing work of community teams, organisations, charities or a group of volunteers.
PUBLIC SERVICES INDIVIDUAL AWARD
This will be presented to someone working for a public service who has gone above and beyond the call of duty.
PUBLIC SERVICES TEAM AWARD
This is for a remarkable public service team that has made an outstanding contribution to help those they serve.
SENIOR COMMUNITY CHAMPION
This will be for a local hero aged 60 or over who, after many years of hard work, continues to devote much of his or her time to helping other individuals or groups.
YOUNG COMMUNITY CHAMPION
We are looking to find those aged 17 and younger who have shown inspirational behaviour, perhaps through incredible fundraising projects or acts of bravery.
HOW TO ENTER
Time is running out to nominate your community champions, but you can still apply online by filling in an entry form from www.eveningtimes.co.uk and following the link from the ‘communities’ section. Nominations must be in by the end of Sunday.
Nominations for outside the Greater Govan and Craigton area will be kept on file until the relevant month.
Visit our dedicated community websites at:
