The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Positive stories which provide a terrific tonic in these tough times
Kingdom FM Awards bring a smile to the face and a glow to the heart
With the world the way it appears to be these days, one could be forgiven for having a constant sense of foreboding.
But now and again life will throw something your way that restores your faith in humanity.
The Courier is one of the sponsors of the Kingdom FM Local Hero Awards, so I was fortunate enough to go along to the annual ceremony on Friday, which celebrates the contribution of individuals, organisations and schools to communities across Fife.
And it’s fair to say that, amid all the negativity around at the moment, everyone went home feeling that little bit more positive.
I’ll highlight just one of the categories which stood out for me – the Child of Achievement Award.
It was won by a lovely wee guy called Daniel Cornet, who was born with chronic kidney disease and end stage five renal failure.
Despite enduring 10 hours of dialysis every night, the three-year-old is one of the youngest ambassadors for the Live Life Give Life “Little Lifesavers” campaign, which encourages people to donate organs and shares his story on social media through Daniel’s Diary.
However, the stories behind the other two nominees also tugged on the heart strings.
Kayla Bird, 7, from Glenrothes, suffers from cerebral palsy and although she was born 10 weeks early after suffering a stroke in the womb, she has remarkably defied the odds and has learned to walk.
Similarly, you’ve got Ava Stark, who captured the hearts of thousands when her battle with inherited bone marrow failure was shared via social media.
She’s now started nursery and incredibly, is to become the face of the Anthony Nolan donor campaign.
And then you’ve got guys like Neighbour of the Year winner Jack Henderson, who owns the Lomond Tavern in Falkland and gifts every OAP in the village a meal at Christmas alongside a hamper of food and drink.
The man was so neighbourly he even suggested everybody come back to his pub after Friday’s ceremony.
Nights like Friday provided me with a much-needed tonic – and I’m not just talking about the stuff that goes with gin.
Get in touch with your local office in Kirkcaldy or send a letter to The Courier at