Charity search for local community heart heroes

Entries to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Heart Hero Awards 2020 are now open and the charity is asking people to nominate their local heart hero.

The awards recognise the different ways people are helping beat heartbreak from heart and circulatory diseases. This could be through fundraising, volunteering or helping patients and their families.

This year there are three categories: Healthcare Hero, Young Heart Hero and the Inspiration Award.

The Healthcare Hero award will recognise a doctor, nurse, or person working in a healthcare setting who has made a special effort to make a difference to the life of a heart patient or their family.

The Young Heart Hero award will go to an exceptional person under the age of 18 years who has done something remarkable for the BHF, perhaps overcoming personal challenges.

The Inspiration award will recognise a person who inspires others through their determination and dedication. That could be through their fundraising efforts, taking part in a physical challenge, organising an event, or volunteering activities.

Nominations are open until Saturday 29 February at bhf.org.uk/heartheroes.

The winners will be announced at a very special gala awards dinner in London in September 2020.

The 2019 award winners included Team Chris Murray from Glasgow, who took part in the BHF’s 100km Glasgow to Edinburgh Trek. Chris Murray, who had been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, was just 22 when he died in 2017. Around 30 family and friends took on the BHF’s 100km Glasgow to Edinburgh Trek in his memory, raising more than £15,000 to fund life saving research.

David McColgan, Acting Head of BHF Scotland, said: “Heart and circulatory diseases affect the lives of thousands of families across Scotland, often in devastating ways. Yet there are so many ordinary people who, when confronted with that challenge, are doing extraordinary things.

“The BHF’s Heart Hero Awards recognise and celebrate the efforts of those who are working selflessly to make life better for other people, like the Murray family and their friends.

“If you know someone who is making a difference, please put them forward for an award so that their contribution can be recognised.”

https://www.bhf.org.uk/heartheroes

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Our Health Heroes, the national healthcare awards which celebrate individuals, teams and organisations within the healthcare and care sectors, are returning for the fourth year and promise to be bigger and better than ever. Continue reading Nominations are open for Our Health Heroes awards

Volunteer Awards 2019: Nominations are now open

Celebrating Volunteers’ Week (1st to 7th June)

It’s that time of year again! The Inspiring Volunteer Awards reflects the exceptional range of organisations and individuals working in the city’s vibrant charity and non-profit sectors.

The Rt. Hon Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh will honour some of the dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy and commitment to the people of Edinburgh at a special awards ceremony on Wednesday 5 June 2019 at the City Chambers.

A wide age range is represented and awardees come from across the broad spectrum of cultures that make up our ever more diverse city.

If you know an individual or a team within your organisation that has exceeded expectations and deserves recognition, nominate them for an Inspiring Volunteer Award.

We are also proud to introduce the Ian McInnes Award as a new award category, which you can read about in more detail on the nomination form.

To nominate and for more information please click on the button below.

Tom Goode
Events Coordinator

Nominate Now

The Forth Awards are back for 2018 – and nominations are now OPEN!

This November sees the return of The Forth Awards with Edinburgh St James and we want your help to find our winners for 2018! The ceremony recognises those living in our community as well as some of the biggest names in music and entertainment today. Perhaps you have a special reason to nominate someone in your community or maybe you feel there is a group or individual who works tirelessly for the needs of others.

Check out all the categories and then why not make a nomination. Just by nominating, you will be in with a chance of winning a V.I.P experience at The Forth Awards with Edinburgh St James!

Nominate here

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Last call for heroism award entries

‘There are no accidental heroes’

The search for the first ever winner of the recently established The Annie Dow Heroism Award – TADHA for short, which celebrate acts of heroism by young people with additional support needs in Scotland, will close to nominations on Saturday 31 January.

The winner of the inaugural award will be announced at a celebratory awards ceremony at Edinburgh’s Summerhall on Thursday 19 March and will receive a cash prize of £2,500. Two runners up will each also receive a cash prize of £500.

Officially launched in October 2014, TADHA takes its inspiration from Annie Dow, a young woman with additional support needs who saved the lives of her mother, father, family friend and dog Hamish when she bravely raised the alarm after discovering a fire in the middle of the night which destroyed her home.

TADHA founder (and mother of Annie) Sophie Dow is urging anyone who knows of any young person that might be eligible to receive TADHA recognition to put them forward for consideration. She said: “If you have any questions about nominating someone, please just get in touch! We are looking to hear about heroic acts from those with additional support needs, but will also consider inspirational acts as well.

“With TADHA we have a real opportunity to recognise and highlight the often unsung heroes in our society. We need your help to make sure that we hear about those acts, however big or small they might be.”

Made possible by an anonymous donor who gifted £20,000 to recognise Annie’s heroism and that of other young people with additional support needs in Scotland, the TADHA awards will be judged by a prestigious panel made up of Rose Fitzpatrick, Deputy Chief Constable, Police Scotland; Lieutenant Colonel Rob Heatly, MBE Royal Marines;, Anne Houston, Former Chief Executive of Children First;, Peter Murray, Assistant Chief Officer, Scotland Fire and Rescue Services; Louise Macdonald, Chief Executive Young Scot and Aaron McHale, Young Campaigner and Haggeye Member.

Sophie continued: “Setting up TADHA is one of the most important and joyful things I have done throughout my career. TADHA will highlight the abilities, rather than the inabilities, that anyone with additional support needs have.

“After all, the true definition of a hero is someone who can stay calm under pressure, in a crisis or an emergency, knows what to do and does it well without panicking. There are no accidental heroes.”