WHEN Jean Dallas joined her fellow ‘rapping grannies’ to collect a Glasgow Community Champion award, she summed up the feelings of everyone in the room.

“What does it mean to be here? We are all very proud,” she said. “We are proud to be Glaswegian.”

Jean and her friends Wilma Dale, Susan McGinlay, Betty Todd and Maggie Cassidy, won the Senior Award at the grand final of the awards last year.

(Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)

The women inspired their community - and people across Scotland - when they learned how to rap for a TV documentary with comedian Karen Dunbar.

Karen was overjoyed to watch her proteges collect the prize in the grand surroundings of Glasgow City Chambers’ Banqueting Hall.

(Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)

“I’ve never been so pleased about an award I had nothing to do with,” she joked,

“But I’m delighted for them, because I know how much this means to these amazing women.”

The Glasgow Community Champion Awards, organised by the Glasgow Times and supported by Glasgow City Council and Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust, hails the unsung heroes improving lives around the city.

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Entries are coming in thick and fast for the 2024 event and we want to hear who you think deserves recognition for the work they do for their community?

We want to hear from you. There are 10 awards up for grabs this year including Community Champion, Champion Team, Sporting Champion, Champion School of the Year, Youth Champion, for teens, Senior Champion, for over-60s, and Health and Wellbeing Champion.

We have also introduced three new prizes for 2024 – Little Champion, for children under the age of 13 whose courage, triumph over adversity or desire to help others make them stand out in their community; Environmental Champion, for an individual or team passionate about tackling the climate crisis and loss of biodiversity, and improving local areas for the benefit of all; and Arts Champion, for a musician, theatre group, singer, dancer or poet having a positive impact through projects or performances.

Closing date for nominations is Thursday, September 12.

You can nominate anyone, simply tell us why they should win and remember to include lots of detail and photographs to support your entry.

You can nominate online by visiting the website, https://newsquestscotlandevents.com/events/glasgowcommchamps/ or email callum.cummine@newsquest.co.uk.

For more information, call 0141 302 6046.

A shortlist will go to a public online vote to determine the winners in each area – North East, North West and South - who will then progress to the grand final at Glasgow City Chambers on December 4.

A judging panel made up of representatives from the award partners will decide the Grand Final winners.