SCOTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEE: Amazing May is a mum to so many

This is a woman who does not know how to say the word no', says her husband Gerry, 48, ruefully.

And at 62, this great-gran is still welcoming foster children into her home in Thornliebank and providing the stability and guidance that is so often missing in their young lives.

It is thanks to May's determination that her adopted son, Jamie, now 18, is able to walk unaided.

He has cerebral palsy, caused by a brain injury at birth, and May and Gerry raised the thousands needed to take him to Florida to swim with dolphins.

Amazingly, the therapy made a huge difference to his condition, says May, whose home has been a haven for youngsters for 37 years.

It has been like that since she took in her first foster children, Sharon, now 42, and Frank, 39, and brought them up with her own two from her first marriage, Steven, now 41, and Alison, 39.

Some of the children stayed a short time, some stayed forever. May is particularly proud of one of her boys, who is now at university.

At the moment, the couple are also looking after three younger children permanently, as well as Jamie.

"It was something we were scared of doing at first until a friend adopted a child with a similar problem as Jamie and we thought, What are we frightened of?'" says May.

"Jamie came to us when he was four because his family could not cope with his disability and we were told he would not walk - but he walks now."

May also finds the time to help run the family's cafe, Jamie T's Coffee Shop, in Clarkston, which is named after Jamie.

"Some of these children come from a household where no one works.

"We try to bring them up to realise that if you want things in life, you have to work for them.

"With us working, it encourages them to realise that getting a Giro is not the way forward."

It takes a lot more than just a warm heart to cope with some of the damaged children who come through May's door.

She believes, however, that sometimes children are being left too long with drug or alcohol-abusing parents and by the time they come into foster care, they are too much for their foster carers.

"I would say there are a lot of damaged children and you have to go back to the basics with them," May admits.

"But we get a lot of pleasure out of what we do and we have made a lot of friends with parents too.

"Once they realise you are not the enemy it can work out well. I do not judge the parents and it makes things easier with the children if you are not at loggerheads with the parents. Some children go back to their parents and it is nice to see them turn their lives around."

Even as a child growing up in Priesthill, May would bring all the local kids who were like waifs and strays home.

As far as she is concerned, the door is never closed to a child in need.

"Our older children say It's time you retired, mum', but it is a way of life to us," says May.

SCOTS SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEE: Tennis is a family affair for Judy

Of course, there was a lot to cheer about in 2008. It was an extraordinary year for the Murray brothers.

"I think the highlights were watching Jamie winning in the mixed doubles at the Centre Court in Wimbledon and Andy beating Rafael Nadal at the US Open," says Judy. "As a parent, you can't really beat that," she adds.

But Judy has her own life. The former Scottish tennis international is talent and performance manager with the Lawn Tennis Association and an inspiration to a new generation of tennis players.

If anyone knows how to get the best out of youngsters, it's Judy.

At the moment, Judy, who lives in Dunblane, is coaching the best 8-11-years-old in Scotland, and is also on the advisory board of the Winning Scotland Foundation, which is helping empower coaches.

"We are aiming to encourage youngsters to become more confident individuals through sport, regardless of the level they reach," says Judy.

Judy herself never really had any coaching and only started playing tennis at the relatively late age of 10.

Today, and now 49, she is still passionate about the game, still has a lot to give. "I would love to open my own tennis school," she says."

"I love coaching and I would love to see a facility in Scotland on a par with those not only in the rest of Great Britain, but in the rest of Europe. I don't see why we shouldn't have better facilities."

SCOTS BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEE: Taroub's doing a fine job of putting city's houses in order

Since she took over as chief executive in the summer of 2007, the organisation has been revitalised.

Born in Beirut with a Lebanese father and Irish mother, she was brought up in Belfast and became a graduate of the city's Queen's University. The 46-year-old now lives in Glasgow with her two sons.

At the time she took on the job as boss of the GHA, Taroub promised to deliver 21st century social housing to the people of Glasgow and put the GHA at the centre of the city's regeneration.

It is generally agreed she is on the right road.

Taroub, who worked in management for the health service in Glasgow for almost 10 years before joining the GHA, is decisive and committed and very motivated.

The huge motivation, she insists, is to work towards improving things for tenants and also for the 26,000 owner occupiers for whom the GHA provides services.

"We have some huge regeneration projects and we are working with other partners to develop some of the most difficult areas of housing. It is a huge job, but it is a wonderful job. There is never a dull moment.

"In six years of work the GHA has spent nearly £700million and still has another four to five years of investment costing another £500m.

Many changes are in the pipeline or have been made and they are working on a fairer rent structure, she says.