Renfrewshire recognises inspiring local heroes

Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron was joined by comperè Libby McArthur to help celebrate the achievements of devoted community members who go above and beyond to make Renfrewshire a better place to live and work.

The award winners were invited to a special ceremony at the Normandy Hotel in Renfrew after being chosen from more than 50 outstanding nominations submitted by their peers in the local community.

Renfrewshire Schools Clarsach Group provided music as guests arrived at the ceremony. Preceding the presentation of the awards, guests were entertained by Starlight Youth Music Theatre Group who performed a selection of Motown Classics.

The recipients of this year’s awards were:

Arts and Culture (sponsored by Renfrewshire Council) – Catherine Craig

Carer’s Award (sponsored by former Provost Nancy Allison) – Linda Clark

Community Group (sponsored by City Gate Construction) – Rays of Hope

Community Volunteer (sponsored by Glasgow Airport Ltd) – David Love

Employee of the Year (sponsored by UNISON Renfrewshire) – Pamela McKechan

Sporting Achievement (sponsored by Acre Industrial Services Ltd) – Harrison Lovett

Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron said: “The Community Awards recognises those who really go the extra mile to make Renfrewshire a better place without looking for reward or recognition.

“These winners were all nominated by their own communities and I’m honoured to be able to reward them for their dedication and commitment.

“Congratulations to all our winners, your hard work does not go unnoticed.”

The Provost’s Community Awards were first established in 1997 by former Provost Nancy Allison, who continues to sponsor the Carers Award today.

The awards have been continued by each subsequent Provost and have recognised more than 100 deserving community members for their commitment and devotion.

For more information on the Provost’s Community Awards, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/provostawards.

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Further information on Community Award winners

Carer’s Award (sponsored by former Provost Nancy Allison) – Linda Clark

Linda has been a foster carer for Alex for five years and was nominated for this award by Fordbank Primary School, where Alex is a pupil. Linda gave up her full-time job to be able to care for Alex full time as he required additional support both at home and at school.

Sporting Achievement (sponsored by Acre Industrial Services) – Harrison Lovett

Harrison has multiple disabilities, including visual and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy and jouberts syndrome. He was selected to represent the United Kingdom at the Special Olympic World Summer Games in judo and brought home a silver medal.

Community Group (sponsored by City Gate Construction) – Rays of Hope

Rays of Hope are a self-help cancer group based in Elderslie. The group is led by volunteers who have either all had a diagnosis of cancer of have experienced cancer through a friend or family member. They aim to help turn negative experiences in to positive ones and help people regain control of their life. As well as being a safe space for people to openly talk about their experiences, Rays of Hope offer activities such as creative writing, craft groups, choir, exercise classes and walking groups.

Employee of the Year (sponsored by UNISON Renfrewshire) – Pamela McKechan

Pamela works for Families First and is based in Gallowhill. She is the first point of contact for families in the area contacting the service for help and she loves that her job allows her to empower people to make a difference in their lives. Her staff say she encourages them to develop their skills and is always around when you need a supportive chat after a hard day.

Community Volunteer (sponsored by Glasgow Airport Ltd) – David Love

David has been volunteering for Paisley 8^th Boys Brigade for 15 years. He attends every Friday night and works tirelessly behind the scenes researching activities for the group and applying for funding for future trips and excursions. Every three years David plans a big trip away and organises fundraising to ensure the cost is affordable for the young boys who attend – mostly from the Ferguslie Park and west end area of Paisley.

Arts and Culture (sponsored by Renfrewshire Council) – Catherine Craig

Cathy volunteers at Paisley Abbey and has been instrumental in developing the Abbey as a tourist attraction. She is a well-known face and can be seen taking tours around the Abbey or helping out on busy event days. Many of the displays and timelines in the Abbey have been created by Cathy in her own time, at her own expense, to enable visitors who don’t want a tour to still learn about the Abbey. She loves history and dedicates hours to researching her chosen topics.