Age Scotland hunting for older people’s community champions

For the first time, this year’s Age Scotland awards will include a community champion category to celebrate small acts of kindness and support.

This week the Scottish charity for older people announced the nominations are open for their 2025 awards – an event founded to celebrate the unsung heroes working tirelessly to improve the lives of older people across the country.

Usually comprised of five categories, this year’s event will see the debut of a new award that looks to celebrate small thoughtful gestures that mean the world to older people. For example, this could include a neighbour who cuts an older person’s grass and tends to the weeds as a favour, or a shop keeper who puts aside a copy of the newspaper and always makes time for a proper chat.

‘We are delighted to open nominations for the 2025 Age Scotland Awards – an opportunity to recognise the hard work and dedication of individuals, groups and organisations making a positive difference to the lives of older people in Scotland,’ Katherine Crawford, chief executive at Age Scotland, said. ‘As well as existing categories such as Best Working Partnership, Campaigning and Influencing, Services for Older People, Member Group of the Year Award and Volunteer of the Year, this year we’ll also be celebrating Scotland’s community champions for the first time.

‘We know from older people what a huge difference kind-hearted people make to their daily lives, whether it is the neighbour who cuts the grass and tends to the garden, or the postie who takes the time for a chat when delivering the mail.’

Some of the winners from last year’s event include Golden Friendships in Clydebank who won the Member Group of the Year Award for their work in tackling loneliness in older people, and Willy Gilder was awarded the Jess Barrow Award for Campaigning and Influencing. Willy is a retired radio journalist who has been campaigning to raise awareness of dementia after being diagnosed with the disease a few years ago.

Information about how to submit a nomination for any of the categories can be accessed here. The nominations, which must only include people from Scotland, are open until 25^th May, with the exception of the Community Champion Award, which closes on 27^th June.

‘So, if you know someone who is making a meaningful difference in the life of an older person, why not put them forward for the first ever Community Champion Award,’ Katherine added.

The ceremony for the event is due to take place on 8^th October 2025.

Image from Openverse

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