FOR the past 44 years, the Evening Times has been proud to honour the exceptional women in our midst with the prestigious accolade of Scotswoman of the Year.
They have all been of an
extraordinary calibre, such as 2006 winner Professor Anna Dominiczak, the driving force behind the campaign to bring the British Heart Foundation's Cardiovascular Research Centre to Glasgow.
Now we are looking for
the 45th person, who will be Scotswoman of the Year 2007, sponsored by St Enoch Centre.
For the first time, there are two new categories - Scots
Businesswoman of the Year, sponsored by IT Services firm TSG Scotland, and Scots
Sportswoman of the Year.
The ceremony takes place at
a glittering dinner in the
Banqueting Hall in Glasgow City Chambers at the end of January.
But first, we need you to help us find these three very special women.
Tell us about those you know who inspire you and others
with their courage and strength; women with passion and
commitment, who fight
against the odds for what they believe in.
You can write us a letter,
send an e-mail or log on to our website. Just see the Send Us Your Nomination panel on the left of the page.
Today, we reveal the names of three more of those women you have nominated: Avril Paton, the artist who painted the iconic Windows In The West; Anne-Marie Chiswell, the woman behind Coffee Express; and Aileen McGlynn, Paralympic cycling star.
They are all heroines in their different fields - all inspirational and who have overcome
obstacles to achieve so much.
Champions of sport, the arts and business - three of the latest nominations: |
 SCOTSWOMAN OF THE YEARAVRIL PATON
The 66-year-old is the artist who painted the iconic Windows In The West, one of the most popular paintings in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and the second favourite painting in Scotland, next only to Dali's Christ Of St John On The Cross.
Avril has given Glasgow an image of itself people can be proud of and her own story is an inspiring one. As a single mother, she struggled for years as the archetypal starving painter in a garret, but has always done a lot to help others. |  SCOTS BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR ANNE-MARIE CHISWELL
Originally from Motherwell, the 48-year-old is passionate about coffee. She is the woman behind Coffee Express and aims to make it the new Starbucks with the emphasis on organic and Fair Trade coffee.
The mother of three also has a ladies dress shop in Strathaven and runs a water cooler business. |  SCOTS SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR AILEEN McGLYNN, MBE, is the paralympic cycling star who has overcome visual impairment to win gold medals.
The 34-year-old, from Paisley, is now professional and has been cycling since she was seven.
She won gold in Athens in the 2004 Paralympics and in a number of European and world championships. |
Our roll call of honour includes politicians and medical pioneers, charity workers and community champions. Every one of our Scotswomen of the Year have been heroines:
Like the 2005 winner, Sandra Brown, who set up the Moira Anderson Foundation
to help sexually abused children and their families.
Like 2004 champion Olivia Giles, who lost her hands and feet when she fell ill with meningococcal meningitis. She has emerged stronger and is determined
to use her experiences to help others.
Perhaps our winner this year will be someone who has faced
heartbreak and put aside her pain to launch a charity to help prevent others going through the same pain.
Like Eileen McKiernan, the 2002 winner, whose only son died of meningitis when he was 17.
Our awards recognise the women who put their all into helping others, with no thought for
themselves.
Like Maxie Richards, winner in 1994, who is still taking addicts
into her Bearsden home to help them become drug-free.
The women the Evening Times wishes to honour are
role models for others
everywhere.
The Scots Businesswoman
of the Year will have achieved outstanding success in any
business environment, helped other companies attain it,
and have overcome significant
hurdles in reaching her
goals.
The Sportswoman of the Year will have earned, or helped
others earn, success in any sporting environment, aided other people achieve success,
or overcome significant hurdles in achieving her goals.
She will also have helped
promote Scottish sport and healthy living through her accomplishments.
The awards recognise the strength of women, their achievements and the ways they help others.
Tell us who YOU think could be contenders.
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