The Scottish Sensory Awards are being held on Monday 15th February 2016, at the Stirling Court Hotel, University of Stirling, and nominations are now open.

The “Love Sensory Impairment” ceremony aims to highlight good practice and promote the rights of people living with sensory impairment, and highlight the work being done in the area. The Awards provide a focus for all organisations and individuals involved in sensory impairment and to build on the impetus of the recently published See Hear Strategy.

The Awards were created to recognise the extent of the range of work with deaf, deafblind and visually impaired people and to raise awareness of the work of statutory, third and independent sector services with people with sensory impairment.

Nominations are divided into seven categories, and recognise the breadth and depth of the work in the area. Nominations are welcome from groups or individuals who would like to recognise the work of a colleague, friend or group for any of the categories listed below.

Category 1: Preventing and screening for early diagnosis
Category 2: Promoting Choice and Control
Category 3: Personal and workforce development
Category 4: Engaging people with a sensory loss and information sharing across communities
Category 5: Encouraging community connectedness, community arts, libraries and leisure
Category 6: Neighbourhoods, school, residential and day-care facilities, the “unsung heroes”
Category 7: Promoting partnership working across all services for people with sensory loss

Each category has a list of criteria to support the judging panel agree the winner and runners up, which is available on the Awards website.

The Awards’ Planning Committee consists of representatives from Action on Hearing Loss Scotland, Deafblind Scotland, RNIB Scotland, Scottish Council on Deafness (SCoD) and West Dunbartonshire Council. Janis McDonald, Chief Officer for SCoD, said, “Love Sensory Impairment is an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and recognise organisations and individuals. SCoD is keen to connect and thrive the Deaf Sector with colleagues and organisations from other sectors – public, private and third. We know there is some fantastic work out there around Scotland and some amazing individuals – let’s find out more and recognise them. Please make a nomination for the Scottish Sensory Awards and join us to celebrate with everyone!”

The nomination deadline is 5pm on Tuesday 5th January 2016.

Nominations can be made by application form, or signed DVD, and should be submitted online, or to The Sensory Impairment Awards, c/o SCoD, Central Chambers Suite 62, 93 Hope Street, Glasgow, G2 6LD.

To apply, or for further information, please visit the Scottish Sensory Awards website, or email Adeel Muhammed at adeel@scod.org.uk.