STV is to recognise local champions from across Scotland in a star studded awards ceremony hosted by Carol Smillie. RBS: Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes – The Awards will air on STV at 9pm on Tuesday (15 December).
The hour long programme will see a total of 11 awards handed out by famous faces, including Alex Norton, Clare Grogan, Jackie Brambles and Nicholas McDonald, to Scots who have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people in their local area.
Earlier this year, STV viewers were asked to nominate friends, neighbours, animals or groups who deserve to be recognised for making a real difference within their community. After an overwhelming response, the judging panel revealed a shortlist of 30 nominees in ten categories. Each week, six nominees were showcased in STV series RBS – Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes with viewers invited to vote for their ultimate real hero.
The winner of each category will be revealed at STV’s awards ceremony on Tuesday, and one extraordinary hero will collect the prestigious RBS Scotland’s Real Hero of the Year Award.
Finalists include:
· Joe and Betty Middleton from Bathgate who throughout their lives have fostered hundreds of children (Hero Mum or Dad of the Year);
· John O’Byrne from Glasgow who despite his own health challenges set up a foundation and selflessly helps children who are long-term sick (Community Champion of the Year);
· 15 year old Lee Falconer from Maryhill in Glasgow who goes out of his way to help elderly people in his community have the quality of life he believes they deserve (Young Real Hero of the Year);
· 96 year old Tom Gilzean, a familiar face on the city centre streets of Edinburgh who over the last 13 years has collected hundreds of thousands of pounds for various charities close to his heart (Fundraiser of the Year).
Watch videos of all the nominees here.
Elizabeth Partyka, deputy director of channels at STV, said: “The awards ceremony is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate these truly inspiring Scots who go the extra mile for their community. Over the series we have heard some inspirational true life stories about the nominees and their incredible achievements, and we look forward to revealing the deserving winners.”
Chris Wilson, Royal Bank of Scotland’s Managing Director of Branch and Private Banking in Scotland, said: “We’re really pleased at how successful the third series of RBS – Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes has been and the way the Scottish public has got behind all of the finalists. It’s important to celebrate the extraordinary lengths people in communities all around Scotland go to make a difference to the lives of those around them. We’re really looking forward to finding out who the Scottish public has voted as their Real Heroes and giving them the recognition they deserve at the awards ceremony.”
The following individuals, groups and organisations have been shortlisted for an RBS Real Hero award:
SCOTLAND’S REAL HEROES COURAGE AWARD
Allison Barr Mid Calder
Paul Surgeon Kirkintilloch
Suzanne Davies Newtonhill
YOUNG REAL HERO OF THE YEAR
Leah-Grace Kean Glasgow
Lee Falconer Glasgow
Best Buddies Edinburgh Edinburgh
COMMUNITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR
Ashley McIIvenny (Include Me 2 Club) Barrhead, Glasgow
John O’Byrne (The John O’Byrne Foundation) Bellahouston, Glasgow
Jessie Douglas (Richmond’s Hope) Niddrie, Edinburgh
HERO ANIMAL OF THE YEAR
Damson the Dog (Canine Partners) Buckstone, Edinburgh
Jewel the Pony (Ravelrig RDA) Ravelrig, Edinburgh
Spike the Dog (Hearing Dogs for Deaf People) Cupar, Fife
CARER OF THE YEAR
Karen Anderson (Carers United) Evanton
David Forbes (Future Choices) Aberdeen
East Kilbride Dementia Carer’s Group East Kilbride
FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Liz Smilie Prestwick
Tom Gilzean Edinburgh
Linzi O’Neil Fife
HERO MUM OR DAD OF THE YEAR
Susan Hunter Penicuik
Vicky Walker Nairn
Joe and Betty Middleton Bathgate
SPORTING VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Carol Jones Kelvingrove, Glasgow
Gregor Gardner Hallglen, Falkirk
Janice Millar Darvel, Ayrshire
HERO NEIGHBOUR OF THE YEAR
John O’Hara East Glasgow
Donna Fitzpatrick Fullerton, Irvine
Margaret ‘Mum’ Miller Springboig, Glasgow
RBS COMMUNITY PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Paragon Music Glasgow
Social Bite Edinburgh
The Coming Home Centre Glasgow
For more information, visit www.stv.tv/realheroes
or get involved on Twitter #scotlandsrealheroes
or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/scotrealheroes.
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