FANTASTIC young performers from one of the city’s top music schools will take to the stage at a celebration of Glasgow’s Community Champions on Friday.

Tomorrow night’s uplifting finale of the 2019 awards, presented by the Evening Times in association with Glasgow Fort and supported by our other partners Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Community Planning Partnership, Glasgow Housing Association and Trades House of Glasgow, pays tribute to the inspirational individuals and dedicated groups who work hard to improve their communities for all.

Heat winners from the north west, north east and south heats of the annual contest will battle it out for the sought-after trophies.

Sports presenter Amy Irons will compere the much-loved event, which features Community Champions favourites the Angela McCallum School of Music and Glasgow four-piece Sara ‘N’ Junbug, who made such an impression on Scots superstar singer Emeli Sande that she invited them to support her on tour.

Fighting it out for the Team Award are the Beatson Cancer Charity Volunteer Team, Reidvale Neighbourhood Centre volunteers Mary Dunn, Agnes Collins, Robert Franks and Joe Conlan, and the Castlemilk Youth Complex.

The Individual Award finalists are Callum Hutchison of Braveheart Industries, Elaine Leitch, who set up Jiggly Joggers and Erin Boyle, of the Kano Foundation.

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Contenders for the Public Service Award are Gregor Richie and Fraser Devine of mental health support group Men Matter Scotland; Jackie Ewing, of Bridgeton Community Learning Centre; and Helen Wilson, can collector of the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice.

Red Watch at Maryhill Community Fire Station, who support a local primary school for children with additional support needs; firefighter Brian McPhee and nurse Sarah Everett, who set up Govan Men’s Shed, are in the running for the Uniformed Services Award.

The Senior Award finalists are the team at Musical Memories Springburn, a dementia project in the north of the city; Betty Arbuckle of the Trussel Trust foodbank; and Munir Choudry of Pollokshields Development Agency.

Competing for the Young Award are Mariya Javed, of Another Star in the Sky; Katie Monaghan, of Scottish Sports Futures; and the Govan High Gardening Team, who created a safe, calm space for fellow pupils.

The Health and Wellbeing finalists are Baby Loss Retreat, which supports parents who have lost a child to stillbirth or neonatal death; Addaction’s Roots to Recovery gardening project and On the Ball, which tackles period poverty.

West End Road Runners, Wheelchair Rugby Sevens and the John Gibson Goalkeeping Academy are the three Sports Award finalists.

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PE teacher Craig Hayworth, ceilidh band tutor Frank McArdle and Lingo Flamingo’s Harriet Ward are in the running to be named Teacher of the Year, while the winner of the final trophy of the evening – the Lord Provost’s Special Recognition Award - will be announced on the night.