They are the nation’s brightest unsung stars and they are all in the running for a Scotland’s Champions Award.
From humbling acts of kindness and selfless acts of bravery to raising millions for charity - these remarkable men and women have been selected for their courage, hard work and dedication.
These sensational 16 will join our Little Champions - who will be announced in tomorrow's Daily Record - and our Making A Difference Award finalists at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central Hotel on September 18, where the winners will be revealed at a star-studded ceremony.
Hosted by Jackie Bird and Des Clarke the glittering awards will also honour stars from the worlds of TV sport and entertainment.
Gillian McNab, 51, Lanark
The palliative care nurse is determined not to let her Huntington’s Disease (HD) diagnosis get her down and is doing everything she can to raise awareness and help others with the cruel, hereditary condition, which robs sufferers of the ability to walk, talk and swallow.
Through skydiving, wingwalking and a host of other crazy adventures, Gillian, who cares for people at Strathcarron Hospice, has raised £14,200 for the Scottish Huntington’s Association.
Jane Douglas, 59, Kelso
As chief executive of Queen’s House care home in Kelso, Jane vowed to make safe visiting a priority after seeing residents become quiet and withdrawn during lockdown.
She refused to keep the doors closed, instead introducing new procedures, staff, equipment and training at the charity-run home so families could safely hug and hold hands with their loved ones.
Vulnerable in Pregnancy Team, NHS Fife
The twelve-strong team of specialist midwives, nursery nurses and nurse at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy look after vulnerable pregnant women, unborn babies and their families.
During the pandemic, the pregnancy service continued to provide safe, face-to-face personalised care, including child protection issues, learning needs, social care challenges linked to deprivation, and gender-based violence.
Community Champion sponsored by Utilita
Boots and Beards, Glasgow
The hill-walking group focuses on bringing together people from ethnic communities to have fun in the outdoors.
Regulars at Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, the group works with Glasgow’s Asian community to help improve their health and widen access to the natural environment.
The organisation was founded by Kash Butt and his brother as a family project aiming to bring his relatives together more often beyond Eid, birthdays and other family get togethers.
Olivia Strong, 28, Edinburgh
The filmaker raised an amazing £8 million for NHS charities when her running challenge that even caught the attention of Olympic champion Mo Farah went viral.
Her Run for Heroes 5km Challenge encouraged people to challenge themselves to run, walk, swim or move 5km, donate £5, and nominate five friends or family to do the same. More than 1.5 million runners have taken part in 20 countries.
Steven McCluskey, 58, Edinburgh
Inspired by a young asylum seeker he met in Edinburgh, Steven set up a charity that refurbishes donated bikes to help refugees get around.
Bikes for Refugees was set up in 2017 and since then volunteers have refurbished and passed on more than 1,300 bikes to asylum-seekers across Scotland, helping them connect with communities, services, and make friends. When the pandemic hit and their activities were restricted, Steven donated and loaned bikes to NHS staff and other key workers.
Community Project of the Year sponsored by The National Lottery Community Fund
Jean’s Bothy, Helensburgh
Jean’s Bothy provides mental health support to the Helensburgh and Lomond community.
A disused cottage was renovated and turned into Jean’s Bothy – named after a much-loved local figure, Jean Jahoda, who supported parents with disabled children in the 1950s.
The bothy creates a warm and welcoming space to support people who are lonely, isolated and have poor mental health providing a programme of activities including art, mindfulness, chair yoga and fitness.
Man On! Inverclyde
This suicide prevention peer support service supporting men, women and young people of Inverclyde.
It was set up by people who know how much impact suicide can have on lives, through their own experience or that of friends, or family members.
The organisation supports people on social media platforms, face-to-face in groups, and on digital platforms such as Zoom. There are also weekly walks in Battery Park, providing exercise and a chance to talk. They also provide Football Therapy and support for over 50’s/
CentreStage Communities, Ayrshire
Established in 2006, CentreStage use the arts to bring folk of all ages and backgrounds together. Before Covid the charity was providing singing, dancing and acting classes to more than 1500 people in Ayrshire.
Whe the pandemic struck, CentreStage theatre reopened as a food distribution hub and provided more than 40,000 meals in the first 4 months of the crisis period to 4944 households.
Military & Emergency Services Champion
John Miller, 52, Motherwell
Last year John, one of Scotland’s most senior firefighters spoke about the death of his 11-year-old son Ross, who passed away to encourage his colleagues to speak up and seek support for their mental health.
To help others, John helped create the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s first formal mental health strategy to encourage those in need to seek support and train staff to spot the signs of depression and PTSD.
Lance Corporal Sean Wiseman, 29, Bonnyrigg
The soldier will represent the United Kingdom in the Invictus Games 2020, which will now take place in 2022.
Sean is still serving with 2 SCOTS despite having his right leg amputated in January 2011, a consequence of an Improvised Explosive Device in Afghanistan.
He will compete in Indoor Rowing, a sport of endurance, power and speed.
PC Paul O’Donnell and Remo the dog
The courageous canine and his police partner were ambushed by a vile thug while attending an incident in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, in March last year.
The suspect smashed Remo in the face with a metal bar, fracturing his jaw, before hitting PC O’Donnell on the head. Realising his handler had been injured, the four-legged crimebuster lunged for the thug, who ripped a large chunk out of the dog’s ear with his teeth.
The pair fought on and apprehended the assailant.
Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance
These heroes of the sky saved a patient who ‘died’ seven times during a stormy flight to hospital.
Shaun Rose, 54, John Pritchard, 52, and Richard Garside, 44, faced an epic battle to save Duncan Stevenson, 57, who suffered a heart attack while out hillwalking in February last year.
Within moments of take-off, Duncan had a second cardiac arrest and the paramedics carried out CPR and used a defibrillator to shock his heart back to life.
They had to resuscitate him a further six times during the flight.
Outstanding Bravery Award sponsored by Daily Record and Sunday Mail
Don Macphee, 63, South Uist
Don was at the helm of the ferry on the Clyde in Glasgow last May when he saw a car roll down the slipway and into the water.
Without thinking twice, the trained diver sent out an emergency signal and steered towards the car, handed control to crewman and a trainee policeman and jumped into the river to help.
Don managed to free the driver from the vehicle before it sank, and Renfrew Ferry staff pulled her to safety.
Lauren Watt, 31, Tranent
The supermarket worker saved a mother’s life by giving her first aid.
Lauren didn’t hesitate when Lisa Colborne, 39, had a brain aneurysm and collapsed unconscious.
She carried out CPR for 15 minutes while waiting for an ambulance to arrive at the Tranent store in East Lothian.
Lisa was taken to the Western General Hospital where she had emergency surgery to stem the bleeding.
Lee Metcalf, 46, Edinburgh
The delivery driver risked his own life to save a man trapped in a burning lorry after it flipped over on the motorway.
Lee stopped his lorry and ran across to the burning truck. He pulled the driver out of the passenger window and took him to safety, waiting with him until emergency services arrived.
Visit www.scotlandschampions.co.uk to cast your vote for the Making a Difference Award winner sponsored by Specsavers. Voting closes at midnight on August 18.
