SCVO awards open for entries

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is calling for charities and individuals across the country to enter its annual charity awards. Now in their 13th year, the SCVO Scottish Charity Awards highlight the best, most innovative and effective charity organisations and individuals from the past year. There are eight award categories – Charity of the Year, Charity Champion, Demonstrating Digital, Pioneering Project, Terrific Trustee, Leading Light, Celebrating Communities and Cracking Campaign – with the winners to be decided by a panel of judges and announced at an awards ceremony on Friday 14 June at the EICC in Edinburgh. All finalists will then be entered into the running for the People’s Choice Award, which is sponsored by Charities Aid Foundation, which will see members of the public vote for their favourite finalist to win. Charities can enter online until 5pm on Monday 25 March 2019. Last year saw hundreds of applications and over 13,000 votes cast in the People’s Choice Award, and event organisers hope to encourage even more applications this year. Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of SCVO, said: “Last year we had some fantastic entries and our winners each highlighted a different area and specialism of third sector work. We know that there are huge numbers of charitable organisations carrying out amazing work every day in our communities and I would urge them to take the time to apply. “Not only can winning promote an organisation’s cause and attract new funding streams, it can also give these organisations and the people who work and volunteer for them the recognition they deserve." John Baxter, Chairman of Blood Bikes Scotland, which won both Charity of the Year and the People’s Choice Award in 2018, said: “It has been an amazing year as Charity of the Year and People's Choice. Winning the Awards was a fantastic honour and achievement. I would encourage any charity to nominate and take part in the process. Winning was amazing but more than that it was a privilege to be part of the event in June 2018 and being amongst so many other amazing and worthy charities.  It was fantastic for our volunteers and supporters to be recognised for the work we do on behalf of the NHS.”  

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