The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
One-off award for lockdown sports heroes
Anew one-off sports award will celebrate the achievements of people across Perth and Kinross during lockdown.
Live Active Leisure (LAL) has announced the Spirit of Sport Award to recognise the achievements of sports clubs, groups, organisations, athletes, volunteers and coaches in the area.
Sponsored by Perth and Kinross Sports Council, the award will replace this year’s Sports
Personality of the Awards ceremony.
Instead it will be open to nominations for those clubs and individuals who made an impact on their community and members through their creativity and determination during the Covid crisis.
David Taylor, chairman of Perth and Kinross Sports Council (PKSC), said his organisation had supported the annual Sports Personality of the Year Awards for many years and was keen to be involved
Year with the new venture. He said: “We are delighted that our long-standing partnership with Live Active Leisure is in a position to recognise the individuals and clubs who have gone over and above to keep the spirit of sport alive during what is undoubtedly one of the most challenging times any of us has ever faced.
“I hope people get behind this brilliant idea and nominate the worthy clubs and individuals of our local sporting community.”
There are five different categories for awards, two for groups and three for individuals, all of which focus on community and inspiration.
Phil Coleman, community sport and partnership manager for LAL, said: “With such huge disruption to sport in 2020 we knew that we couldn’t go ahead with our usual
Sports Personality Year Awards.
“However, through our club contacts we’ve heard countless stories of volunteers keeping their members and communities engaged through various activities, as well as delivering non-sporting, additional support to the most vulnerable people in our communities.” of the
People are asked to send in their nominations by March 8 with the organisers hoping to hold the virtual ceremony later that month, though that may be extended up until April 30.
Winners will be decided by a panel of judges and anyone wishing to nominate a group or individual can do so by visiting liveactive.co.uk
Dundee songstress Demi Mcmahon was left surprised after her cover of Leona Lewis’s hit song Bleeding Love was viewed by the singer on social media platform Tiktok.
The 27-year-old had posted a duet video on Tiktok alongside the X Factor winner online just before starting her night shift on Monday and could not believe her luck when she noticed the superstar had commented on the video saying Demi’s rendition was “so good”.
Healthcare assistant Demi said: “It was absolutely mad when I saw that she had commented on my video.
“I had done the duet with her video on Tiktok before my nightshift started and when I was scrolling through on my break, as you do, I got the notification that Leona Lewis commented on it.
“I had to double check that it was actually her as I couldn’t believe it. Even when I had finished night shift and went for my sleep, as soon as I woke up I had to check again just in case I had dreamt it.
“I was totally blown away, I have loved her for years. I remember when the song Bleeding Love was released and I fell in love with it straight away and then sang it at a school talent show. Now all these years later had
Leona Lewis is commenting on my cover of it.
“It has been fantastic the amount of support I have received from so many people around Dundee after Leona commented on the video but the Dundee community is always great and really supportive so it has been nice.”
Since lockdown began Demi has been busy in her key worker role but has managed to continue her passion for music.
She added: “At the moment I am working on my own music and I am also involved in doing some online gigs and competitions but I think everyone is missing proper gigs and live music.
“It’s not the same not being able to see people connecting to the music and having fun but hopefully we will get back to that soon.”