Bringing together “a hall full of legends!” as recently quoted by local group ROOTS, the return of CVS Falkirk & District’s Volunteering Awards Ceremony on Tuesday 3 June 2025 was heralded with great fanfare.
Marking the 26th year of their annual Volunteering Awards, the accompanying ceremony has taken many forms over the years – often reflecting the situations of the third sector at the time. From Picnics in the Park, to Afternoon Teas, and Virtual Celebrations, CVS Falkirk & District has continually sought to recognise and showcase the many different organisations and volunteers across the Falkirk District area, who dedicate time, energy, and commitment to making a difference to others in their own community.
Opening the event, CEO, Victoria McRae highlighted:
“Tonight, we gather not just to hand out awards, but to express our deepest gratitude to the volunteers who have generously given their time, expertise, knowledge and commitment with kindness, compassion and dedication to help others and to make our communities a better place to live.”
The Awards Ceremony is a great example of just how important volunteering is to our local community. CVS Falkirk & District were delighted to see so many organisations continuing to support the awards and to welcome new organisations and individuals to this year’s Award Ceremony with 111 nominations across the 6 award categories. Reflecting and highlighting the huge contributions local organisations and volunteers make to their local communities, please read the full list of our 2025 Nominees (linked for your convenience). Within this list, the work volunteer-involving organisations do cannot be underestimated in its impact, much of which stems from the Volunteer Co-ordinators working tirelessly in the background to support and facilitate volunteering as a positive experience for all.
Showcasing the gravitas of the evening, guests were welcomed by local group, the Red Hot Kiddie Pipers. Consisting of Harris, Robbie and Magnus, the Red Hot Kiddie Pipers are an exceptional example of young talent – with recent performances also including the Tartan Day Parade in New York as part of Falkirk Schools Pipe Band. Also performing were the wonderful ladies of the Bo’ness Belles who, through song, aim to combat loneliness in the elderly and fundraise for many good causes. All members of the Belles are volunteers and give up their time every week for rehearsals, care homes and events like this – purely for the love of it.
Following these performances, CVS Falkirk & District also featured two guest speakers who highlighted the value of volunteering personally and professionally through their own experiences. Showcasing the necessity of their volunteers, Chris Gunn from Falkirk Foundation spoke on the range of projects they deliver – “we use the power of football to engage with everyone in the local community” – and how their team of more than 100 volunteers enables these to thrive with over 34,560 volunteer hours contributed in 2024 by dedicated individuals supporting various community-focused projects.
Young volunteer, Charlotte Askham, shared her own story with volunteering – how after becoming disabled four years ago, her journey towards and through volunteering has shaped her perspective and provided a new life path she could never have imagined:
“One of my proudest achievements is reaching over 1,000 hours of volunteering through the Saltire Awards. Those hours represent time, energy, care—and a deep belief that giving back matters. Coaching and volunteering haven’t just shaped me professionally—they’ve helped me grow as a person. I’ve found confidence, a strong sense of self, and a community that has lifted me higher than I could have ever imagined. It’s hard to put into words what this journey has meant to me. Every session, every course, every child I’ve worked with has added something to my life. And I can stand here today and say this, without any doubt: I wouldn’t change a single part of it for the world.”
Charlotte’s sentiment is echoed by many of the volunteers we engage with across the third sector, each recognising how they have been shaped by the experiences found within volunteering. Her speech also highlighted our key takeaway from the evening: “the most powerful stories often come from quiet, everyday moments”.
Many of our nominees and award winners will protest they do not do what they do for recognition or celebration, simply to do what is right for their communities. Volunteering is simply another part of their day – however it is our privilege to honour the power of their stories and celebrate the great impact they all create. Our 2025 Award Winners [3rd Bo’ness Scout Group; Slamannan Action Group; Liam Landsman, Food Train; John Somerville, Forth Valley Sensory Centre; Bailliefields Community Hub; Murray McIntyre, Falkirk Foundation Blind Club] each embody this ideal with the surprise in which they received their recognition, and the often termed ‘small steps’ they implement to better our communities in key ways. And for this, we say once more, Congratulations, and Thank YOU!
Closing the ceremony, CVS Falkirk & District were excited to share a very special message from Grangemouth’s own, presenter, Kaye Adams:
“I just wanted to show my appreciation for everything you do in the local community. It just wouldn’t be the same without you. There is too much focus on the bad stuff out there, but YOU are the good stuff. I hope you have an absolutely amazing night tonight, and once again, thank you for everything that you do!”
It is hard to believe that the above encapsulates only a small fraction of the many individuals and organisations going above and beyond for their communities. Each year, we aim to acknowledge the collective effort of every single volunteer whose actions, big and small, have made a lasting impact through our ‘Celebrating Volunteering’ initiative which provides free certificates to any group who are looking to recognise and thank their volunteers. This year, a record 1,374 certificates across the Falkirk District, with one group delivering theirs with the message:
“Thanks CVS Falkirk [& District] for supporting us. We could not run The Hope Hub without the energy, compassion and enthusiasm of all our volunteers. We are so grateful for all they do! What a great team we have.”
Our Awards Ceremony would not be possible without the efforts of our own great team, and those organisations who have supported us throughout. We are so grateful to have been kindly donated six amazing spot prizes from local businesses and groups who were keen to further reward and celebrate the tireless efforts of volunteers across the Falkirk District. With thanks to: Go Forth & Clyde; Grange Manor; Kit-Tea Café; Reset Float Centre; Sanaam; and The Helix Kelpie Tours for your support and kind donations. And further thanks is given to our 2025 Judging Panel; MinuteMan Press Falkirk; MacDonald Inchrya Hotel & Spa, John MacLean from Conference and Events Scotland, and Silver Zephyr Media for your support tonight and in the lead up to this event.
Without the extensive network of volunteers – the heroes behind the scenes, the beating hearts of our communities – we would not have the rich culture and community spirit that we all thrive on. And it is for this, that we say once more, THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!
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