In case you missed our social media posts, we’ve announced the winners of this year’s Volunteer Awards!

Our thanks again to our independent panel of judges, who had the difficult job of selecting one nomination from each category: Cllr Cecil Meiklejohn, leader of Falkirk Council; Donald Johnston from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service; and Margaret Coutts BEM, herself a volunteer with Falkirk and Central Scotland Samaritans.

Our 2022 Falkirk Volunteer Award winners are:

Volunteer of the Year: Benjamin Oliver, The Action Group and Muiravonside Country Park

Young Volunteer of the Year: Hayden McGuckin, TCV Scotland

Volunteer-Involving Organisation of the Year: Forth Valley Flyers

Community Volunteer of the Year: Sylvia Kay, Hallglen Community Pantry and Ettrick Dochart Community Hall

Innovative Volunteer of the Year: Tom Williamson, Tom’s Hidden Garden

This year, our independent panel also gave commendations across the following categories:

Volunteer of the Year: Allan Hannah, Salvation Army New Future Training and Employability Centre

Young Volunteer of the Year: Anya Wortley, Bailliefields Community Hub SCIO

Volunteer-Involving Organisation of the Year: Scottish Baby Box Appeal for Ukraine, Falkirk and Larbert team

Community Volunteer of the Year: Carole Johnstone, Save a Staffie Scotland

A huge Volunteers’ Week congratulations to everyone mentioned above, and to every single volunteer who was nominated, and all of those who were not – Falkirk wouldn’t be the same without you all!