THE countdown to the Daily Record Pride of Scotland Awards is finally over - and today we reveal the unsung heroes who will be honoured at tonight’s red carpet spectacular.
Our glittering People’s Oscars will see 10 awe-inspiring Scots being recognised for their acts of bravery, courage and kindness.
A female police officer who tackled a knife-wielding attacker, a charity worker who led a mission to rescue orphans from Ukraine and a school boy who has raised thousands for his local RNLI in memory of his fisherman father who drowned at sea are among those who will be celebrated at tonight’s ceremony.
There will also be awards for Jean Cumming, who set up counselling charity Crisis and MND sufferer Lucy Smith who has raised more than £250,000 for others and defied the odds to become a mum.
The show, in partnership with TSB, which is hosted by actress Elaine C Smith and comedian Sanjeev Kohli, will see an array of celebs, including singing legend Lulu, Bridgerton’s Ruby Barker, Holby City’s Joe McFadden and Love Island’s Paige Turley pay tribute to our awe inspiring winners.
Here we meet the incredible recipients - the ordinary men, women and children who have achieved the extraordinary and are, undoubtedly, the pride of our nation.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
STEVEN CARR, 54, Perth
Steven is the driving force behind Dnipro Kids. The charity was born after Hibs played Ukrainian side Dnipro in the UEFA Cup in 2005.
Travelling fans held a collection for a local orphanage, and maintained links after returning to Scotland, founding the charity and setting up a sponsorship scheme for orphans.
When Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, came under attack, Steven formed a plan to rescue a group of 50 children from five orphanages.
After flying to Poland, Steven went to the border to assess the situation. He then organised a bus from Poland to Lviv to transport the children and their carers to safety in two separate voyages.
After an agonising two-week wait for visas, and a specially arranged flight from Warsaw, the children arrived in Callander, in March, whilst preparations were made for a longer term stay in Edinburgh.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “I am sure Scotland will open our hearts to these children and treat them with warmth, dignity and compassion. A huge thank you to Steven Carr and all those involved with Dnipro Kids for their tireless work on behalf of these children.”
CHILD OF COURAGE
MILA SNEDDON, six, Stenhousemuir
The bubbly schoolgirl stole the heart of the nation when a photo of her kissing her dad through the glass of her kitchen window featured in the Duchess of Cambridge’s photographic lockdown project Hold Still.
Mila, who was being treated for leukaemia, was separated from her dad Scott, 50, for seven weeks during the country’s first lockdown after he had to go to work and could not risk bringing coronavirus into the family home.
Kate said the poignant image, entitled Shielding Mila, was one of her favourites in the book as it was “powerful” and “told the story of a difficult time”.
The now famous photograph led to two real-life meetings with Kate - one at Edinburgh’s Holyrood Palace and another at Westminster Abbey where Mila read out a pray at the Royal carol concert.
The little warrior princess, who underwent numerous rounds of chemotherapy recently finished treatment and has been declared cancer-free.
But her bravery continues to inspire others, with the rest of her family, including mum Lynda, 39, and big sister Jodi, 18, fundraising for Blood Cancer UK and pals from school taking part in Race for Life in her honour too.
CHILD OF COURAGE
ZAC GUNN, four, Motherwell
Smiley Zac is fighting pulmonary hypertension (PH), a rare and life-limiting condition that affects the heart and lungs.
He is living on borrowed time and is in desperate need of a new set of lungs but, because he is so small, his donor needs to be under nine.
As the new opt-out system for organ donation doesn’t apply to children under 16, Zac’s life now depends on a family making a difficult decision as their own little one lies dying.
His mum Ashley, 35, and dad Gordon, 36, hope that parents who find themselves in this horrendous situation will realise that although their child’s life cannot be saved, their organs could save the lives of others.
When he was first diagnosed, Zac was so poorly, his family were told he might not be with them by Christmas. But this remarkable little boy has surprised everyone with his resilience and attitude to life and his condition.
Now Zac, who carries a pump on his back which administers the IV medicine he needs around the clock, is astounding doctors and specialists with his energy and zest for life.
He’s impressed some famous faces too - he’s had a hospital kickabout with former England star David Beckham, and become friends with Scotland captain Andy Robertson.
CHILD OF COURAGE
KEIRAN REID, 12, Avoch, the Black Isle
The schoolboy was just six when fisherman Craig, 25, was washed overboard from the trawler Apollo in a gale-force storm off Orkney.
A frantic search involving helicopters, the Kessock Lifeboat and French and American aircraft diverted from a Nato exercise was stood down after nine hours. Three months later, another fishing boat found Craig’s body.
But only weeks after his father’s death, Keiran, now 12, started raising money for the local rescue team who had searched so tirelessly for his dad .
Five years on, he’s helped to raise £10,000 for the RNLI and when he is old enough he wants to join the volunteer crew who have become like family.
Keiran said: “Fundraising is my way of thanking and remembering my dad, he enjoyed washing cars and I will never forget him. Helping to raise money for my local North Kessock Lifeboat team makes sure he won’t be forgotten. I plan to keep raising money for the RNLI, they have made me more than welcome over the years.”
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
LUCY SMITH, 27, Elgin, Moray
In 2013, Lucy was about to start a business course at college following a year working at an American summer camp when her future changed forever.
Doctors told her that a limp andslurred speech she had developed were symptoms of incurable and life-limiting motor neurone disease They gave her just 18 months to live.
A diagnosis at 19 is incredibly rare but instead of cursing her bad luck, Lucy set out to make the most of the life she had left. She has since been busy ticking off the 45 items on her bucket list. Now aged 27, she has been dubbed the MND Warrior, raising more than £200,000 for charity MND Scotland to help find a cure, despite knowing any breakthrough may not come in time to save her own life.
She and partner Tommy Smith were also determined to become parents despite doctors telling Lucy was told it was too risky to go through a pregnancy with MND at her time of diagnosis.
In February 2020, she gave birth to son LJ, coming off her medication to conceive and in December last year she gave birth to daughter AR - becoming the first person in the world to give birth twice after being diagnosed with MND.
EMERGENCY SERVICES HERO
PC CLARE CHALMERS, 55, Isle of Mull
Constable Clare Chalmers was on her way home after a 10-hour shift when she was called back to reports of a violent man at a home on the Isle of Mull.
As the nearest on duty officer was some distance away, the officer decided to attended alone.
When she arrived, she found a woman with a bloodied face who said she had been assaulted by a man and that he was still at large in the property.
PC Chalmers found him hiding in another room under a duvet. Without warning, he produced two knives and threatened to stab both the officer and the victim.
The officer pulled out her PAVA spray, and used it to disarm him. She shouted at him to drop the weapons and was able to remove them and lead the woman to safety.
The man stayed in the property - threatening the women while they waited for backup. But PC Chalmers made sure the injured woman was safe and well, and set up a cordon around the property until officers arrived by helicopter.
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “Clare’s instinctive and courageous actions resulted in the arrest of a violent offender who subsequently received a custodial sentence.”
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
BOOTS AND BEARDS, Glasgow
Kash Butt , 43 and his cousins Naveed Bakhsh, 44, and Zain Sehgal, 35, founded Boots and Beards five years ago after Kash fell severely ill.
As part of his recovery, he decided to take up hiking to get fit. Family and friends were inspired by his Facebook pictures to join him, and he soon realised the walks could have a wider impact.
Kash, a pharmacy manager, said: “Nature doesn’t recognise colour; it is there for everyone. Also, there’s a lot of stigma about mental health in our community. It doesn’t get talked about, especially among males. It’s their bravado. They are the family head and have to be the strong one – sometimes that can be too much.”
Zain added: “When we started the group, men were opening up. They were with people their age and could share any issues they had with people they were comfortable talking to.”
Boots and Beards is open to all ages, faiths and genders, with pensioners and families with toddlers walking together. Groups are now mixed, but there is also a women only group called Bonnie Boots.”
Boots and Beards is now a registered charity, and has branched out into badminton, spin classes and boot camps. They also organise Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
JEAN CUMMING, 72, Erskine, Renfrewshire
After witnessing a lack of support, guidance and counselling during her time working in the NHS, Jean set up Crisis in March 1996 with just £100.
It is an early intervention service with a focus on preventative care helping people with their mental health before it develops into an emergency.
Today, Crisis has more than 90 volunteer therapists helping people across Scotland, working with children, teenagers and adults to reduce suicide and self-harm, and reduce the risks associated with poor mental health.
Around 40 per cent of the people they help are children and teenagers, along with a number of veterans who have unresolved issues from their time in the military.
The Erskine-based charity, which has provided support to more than 50,000 people, also works with migrants and asylum seekers who have experienced issues adapting to their new home or have suffered acute trauma prior to fleeing to Scotland.
Jean says: “What we do works. We give early intervention and match the therapist to the client, who they can see for as long as required. There have been times when it has been hard to keep the door open but I’m proud that we have.”
TSB COMMUNITY HERO
LOUISE RUSSELL, 46, Glasgow
Louise had always volunteered, but dreamed of setting up a charity that would address two issues close to her heart - animal welfare and isolation in older people.
Her big idea was to help combat loneliness in the over-60s, by removing some of the financial barriers to adopting a rescue pet.
In 2013, she founded Give a Dog a Bone… and an animal a home. The aim of the charity is to tackle loneliness for older adults via animal companionship.
Where money is a genuine barrier, the charity can support towards the rehoming fee of a rescue animal and continue, on an ongoing basis, to help with insurance costs.
In 2018, Louise expanded the charity’s offering by launching a community space project.
Give a Dog a Bone community spaces are now based in Shawlands, Troon and Alloa - with more hoped for the future. Each community space operates a Pet Food Bank, as well as free activities for the over 60s, such as Group Dog Walks, Reflexology, Chair Yoga, Art Club and Singing for Wellbeing. Through the charity, Louise has helped thousands of animals, and older adults, to have a happier life – together.
PRINCE’S TRUST YOUNG ACHIEVER
Jack Smyth, 26, Clydebank
Jack, now 26, was only days old when he suffered the first of three bleeds in his brain and was diagnosed with
cerebral palsy, with doctors believing he would never walk or talk.
He also has epilepsy and hydrocephalus, which required him to have shunts in his brain, as well as needing numerous brain surgeries up to the age of 14.
Defying the odds, Jack never allowed his disability to stop him from doing the things he loved and as a young boy he helped his dad work on cars and soon had a dream to open his own garage.
But his time at school was ruined by bullies and even after starting college to study vehicle maintenance the bullying continued and he felt there were too many unnecessary barriers, which ultimately stopped him from learning the skills he wanted and needed to pursue a career in mechanics.
With his self-esteem low, Jack’s uncle began to teach him how to weld and after working on scrap metal and becoming more comfortable using the equipment, Jack realised he could turn his new skills into a business.
Through Street League in West Dunbartonshire, Jack found out about The Prince’s Trust and took part in the Enterprise programme which gave him the knowledge, skills, and confidence to launch Salvaged Metal Art which combines his love of cars with his newfound talents.
- The Daily Record Pride of Scotland Awards with TSB, will broadcast on STV in July.
