Three young people from Edinburgh have been announced as finalists in this year’s Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards in recognition of their incredible achievements.
All three impressed an esteemed panel of judges with their outstanding contributions to their communities.
Peter Sawkins, winner of last year’s Great British Bake Off, is a finalist in the Entertainment category.
The Edinburgh University student became the first Scot and the youngest ever winner of the popular TV show when he took home the crown last year. He is passionate about Scottish produce and enjoys taking inspiration from locally sourced ingredients when designing his bakes.
Despite his newfound fame, Peter, who grew up watching the show, is committed to finishing his accounting degree and is appreciating having time to bake for friends and family.
Lucy Challoner, 22, is a finalist in the Young Hero category, which celebrates young people who have shown amazing courage, battled the odds or showed incredible perseverance in the face of adversity.
When Covid restrictions prevented Lucy from visiting her mum in her care home, she made the brave decision to move her home where Lucy took on the role of her mum’s fulltime carer.
The social work student, who acts as her brother’s kinship carer, has also been campaigning for face-to-face visits with her 98-year-old gran in her care home – recognising the negative impacts visitation restrictions were having on her mental wellbeing.
Lucy’s campaign was eventually successful, and her tireless efforts have given a voice to all care home residents and their relatives.
Kieran Miller, 17, is a finalist in the Enhancing Education category, which awards young people who are determined to make a positive difference in improving education for others.
A passionate advocate for mental health support, Kieran assisted in the delivery of his school’s first Boys Mental Health Day. He played a pivotal role in the day, discussing his personal experiences with younger students and encouraging pupils to talk openly about their own challenges.
The talented footballer has overcome adversity in his own life and was recently voted head boy of his school.
The Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards aim to recognise and inspire the nation’s young people. This year’s winners will be announced during a live online ceremony on 22 April – marking the Award’s fifteenth year of championing and celebrating the achievements of young people from all communities across Scotland.
The finalists join a prestigious roll call of previous recipients including Sir Andy Murray, Olympian Laura Muir, and top vlogger Jamie Genevieve. Recent winners include actor Ncuti Gatwa from Netflix’s Sex Education and the team behind Fridays For Future Scotland.
Louise Macdonald OBE, Chief Executive of Young Scot, said: “Peter, Lucy and Kieran’s inspiring achievements show how important young people are to Scotland and their incredible contribution to communities in Edinburgh.
“A huge congratulations to all of the 2021 finalists – we can’t wait to celebrate their achievements at the Awards ceremony!”