Meet the Young Scotswoman of the Year superstars

Judges have whittled down all of the nominees to a fantastic shortlist of six – now it is up to you to decide the winner.

The public vote is open now and you have until 5pm on February 24 to vote for your favourite.

The winner will be announced at the glittering gala final, held in association with St Enoch Centre, at the Grand Central Hotel on March 26.

SWOTY has been celebrating female achievement since 1963. Supported by the Grand Central Hotel, Scottish Passenger Agents Association and Mackay & Inglis, this year’s promises to be an emotional and uplifting event.

Yesterday we unveiled the super six in contention for the title of Scotswoman of the Year - homelessness activist Zakia Moulaoui, autism champion Vicki McCarthy, children’s fitness visionary Elaine Wyllie, inspirational fundraiser Corinne Hutton, suicide support charity founder Pauline Moriarty and world-leading gynaecologist Sarah Martins Da Silva.

Today, it’s the turn of our Young SWOTY. finalists.

Read more: Meet the SWOTY finalists for 2019

MOLLY CUDDIHY, 17

In 2017, Molly was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. She has spent most of her time since in hospital, where she sat her National 5 prelims and exams back to back, and her Highers, achieving straight As in all.  

Keen to become a doctor, she has been selected for the prestigious Oxbridge Summer Medical School and is currently working with Scottish Government Ministers to review the minimum standard of education for critically ill children within healthcare settings.

Molly and fellow patient Sara, identifying a gap in service provision for seriously ill eight to 12-year olds, held the Every Thank You Counts Ball which raised more than £250,000 for the creation of a social space for those young people. Molly has also teamed up with the Teenage Cancer Trust to manage its Instagram page and has set up Molly’s Fund, teaming up with local chemists to provide free digital thermometers to newly diagnosed patients.

ELLORA JAMES, 19, AND MARI-ANN GANSON, 19

Ellora and Mari-Ann created Envirocache, a groundbreaking app which uses geocaching technology to provide children with nature treasure hunts.

The teenagers came up with the idea three years ago for a competition at Wick High School.

Keen to inspire young people to explore the outdoors, they came up with the brilliant idea of harnessing technology to make the most of nature.

Now students – Ellora is studying Ethical Hacking, Mari-Ann is training to be a teacher – the duo continue to nurture Envirocache, inspiring other young people in the technology and innovation sectors and beyond.

HOLLY GILLIBRAND, 14

Activist Holly is helping to build a global movement of young people demanding governments take action on the climate emergency. The passionate school striker from Fort William hopes her actions will draw attention to the issue and force politicians to act.

Inspired by Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg, Holly has become a strong voice here in Scotland - she has spoken at the Green Party’s political conference, the Edinburgh Book Festival and more, and she has been recruited as an environmental correspondent for her local newspaper.

Read more: MND campaigner Lucy Lintott named Scotswoman of the Year 2018

RAZANNA HUSSAIN, 17

Razannah, from Alness, has been volunteering since she was 14 and is passionate about giving back to her local community and breaking down stereotypes about Muslim women.

The Young Scot ambassador has helped to organise events across Scotland promoting youth voice and youth social action and co-hosted the First Minister’s Question Time: Next Generation in 2019.

She is the co-chair – alongside Deputy First Minister John Swinney – of the newly launched Task Force on Gender Equality in Education and Learning.

CORRIE SHEPHERD, 16

Corrie Shepherd

After watching classmates struggle to cope after the death of a fellow pupil, Largs teenager Corrie set up the groundbreaking mental health project Clearer Minds.

She won North Ayrshire Young Person of the Year for the initiative, which uses special assemblies, videos, comic book workshops and a mental health ambassadors programme to provide vital emotional support.

The local council was so impressed it earmarked £30,000 of funding for the scheme and plans are afoot to roll it out across North Ayrshire and beyond.

HOW TO VOTE:

Voting is now open! Visit the website :

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/young-swoty-2019/

and click on the box beside your favourite. Voting closes at 5pm on Monday, February 24.

The winner will be announced at the event in the Grand Central Hotel on March 26.