Shortlist revealed for Fife’s 2025 volunteering and voluntary sector glittering awards
Fife’s inspiring volunteers will find out if they are award winners in a matter of weeks.
The shortlist for this year’s Volunteering and Voluntary Sector Awards have been Announced ahead of a ceremony at The Bay Hotel, Kinghorn, on June 3.
Organised by Fife Voluntary Action (FVA), they shine a light on success stories and the brilliant people and organisations that provide vital services to their local communities.
The organisation received 270 nominations from across the voluntary sector, making it a tough job for the panel of judges to select only three shortlisted nominees and a winner for each category. A total of 42 different individuals and organisations have been nominated across 16 categories, including lifetime contribution, tackling poverty, health and wellbeing; social inclusion, and more.
A number of young people will also receive their Saltire Summit Award, the Scottish Government’s volunteering programme for people aged 12-25. Young people nominated for this must have already achieved 200-hours of volunteering. The award recognises the outstanding contribution by young people volunteering in their local area.
Kenny Murphy, chief executive of FVA said: “The awards are the highlight of our year where we get to showcase the incredible difference that volunteers and voluntary sector organisations make to the lives of local people and communities in every part of Fife. Volunteers are at the heart of the third sector, helping to provide public services in a time of high demand and budgetary pressures.”
The awards shortlist in full is:
> Organisation Awards
Active Organisation: Gilvenbank Community Sports Hub, Glenrothes Strollers Community Football Club, Kennoway Pump Track
Children, Young People and Families: Kirkcaldy YMCA, Team Jak Foundation, Muirhead Outreach Project
Social Inclusion: ADAPT Substance Use Services, EATS Rosyth Community Hub, Fairway Fife
Green/Environmental: EATS Rosyth, Homelands Trust-Fife, St Andrews Environmental Network.
Socially Enterprising: Grow West Fife, Homelands Trust-Fife, K107FM
Tackling Poverty award: Fife Carers Centre, Knights Templar Goodwill Charity of Scotland, Link Church.
Health and Wellbeing: Kennoway Pump Track, St Andrews Nightline, Muirhead Outreach Project
Organisation of the Year: Fife Carers Centre, Linton Lane Centre, Muirhead Outreach Project
> Individual Awards
Active Volunteer: Alex Kilgour (Sporting Memories Foundation Kirkcaldy and East Fife Clubs); Beth Dickson - Greener Kirkcaldy; Bridget Fraser ( Burntisland Amateur Swim Club)
Lifetime Contribution to Volunteering: Cynthia Reekie (Relationships Scotland, Couple Counselling Fife); Lyndsay Strang (Girlguiding Scotland); Wilf Parkinson (in memory of) - K107FM
Mature Volunteer: James Laughlin (SSAFA Fife); Mike Earrey (Greener Kirkcaldy); William Mack (Alzheimer Scotland)
Trustee/Board Member: Davie Barbour (EATS Rosyth); Karen Brown (Tullis Russell Mills Band); Walter Barr (Team Jak Foundation)
Volunteering into Work: Agnieszka Labedska (Methilhill Community Children’s Initiative); Margaret Mitchell (Alzheimer Scotland); Thomas Rodger (Fife Carers Centre)
Young Volunteer: Luke Paul McGurk (Luke’s Larder at St Luke’s Church); Rhys McArdle (Youth Auchmuty Project); Ruby McDonald (Active Schools, Glenrothes Strollers Community Football Club, Disability Sport Fife, and Fife College)
Inspirational Volunteer: Alex Kilgour (Sporting Memories Foundation); Mykola Kartavtsev (Greener Kirkcaldy); Sky Goodlad (Clued Up Project)
Volunteer of the Year: Cindy Menmuir (Drugs Alcohol and Psychotherapies Limited); Georgia Lamb (Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre); Kay Jackson (Saline & Steelend Food Pantry and Scouts Scotland)