THE men, women and children helping to build a better Glasgow will be honoured tonight at our second Streets Ahead Awards celebration.

Groups and individuals from each corner of the city are gearing up for a fantastic ceremony at the Winter Gardens in the People's Palace, Glasgow Green.

Our campaign has inspired hundreds of wonderful projects, from litter-picking and community clean-ups to eco-friendly projects and garden competitions.

The Evening Times, in conjunction with Clean Glasgow, will present awards in seven categories and announce an Overall Champion.

There will be trophies for the Best Garden, Best Clean-up Campaign, Best Environmental Initiative, Best Community Garden, Best Community Initiative, Best School and the Green Glasgow Business Award.

Finalists range from small primary schools to big business, from elderly people to school pupils, and come from all walks of life.

Contenders for Best Community Garden include Cathcart Old Garden Team, Battlefield Comunnity Project and Gorbals Healthy Living Network's Citizens Garden, while Castlemilk High, Holycross Primary and St Vincent's Primary are all vying for the title of Best School.

Shettleston Community Growing Project, Friends Of Rosshall Park And Gardens and GHA Area Committees will battle it out in the Best Community Initiative category, while Gordon Kendall and Charles Rogerson are hoping their tireless efforts will be rewarded in the Best Garden section.

The Best Clean-up Campaign finalists are John Wheatley College and Lamlash Nursery School, ASAP Maryhill and Balmoral Terrace Residents' Association.

Contenders for the Best Environmental Initiative are the Children's Wood, Fortune Garden and Dumbarton Road Corridor Environmental Trust.

The Green Glasgow Business Award finalists are Glasgow Wood Recycling, Allied International and McDonald's Trongate.

Evening Times' editor Tony Carlin said: "It was a tough decision for the judges because the standard of entries was so high.

"It has been fantastic to see so many people join our campaign this year and tonight it is their turn to relax and celebrate their success.

"We hope their efforts will inspire others to come on board with our campaign next year.

"We want to hear from all readers and want you to let us help you to make a positive difference in your communities."

ann.fotheringham@ eveningtimes.co.uk