Nominate young heroes for awards

People across West Lothian are being asked to nominate outstanding young people in their community for the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards 2018.

The Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards is Scotland’s biggest celebration of young people and in 2018 will be part of the national programme of celebrations for the Year of Young People 2018 (YoYP 2018).

The awards, which this year are supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate in celebration of Scotland’s forthcoming themed year, will showcase the country’s young people, aged 11to 26, and the incredible contributions they make to their communities. Organisers are looking for amazing young people from West Lothian to be celebrated for the inspiring work they do to improve the lives of others.

This is the 13th year of the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards, which will feature a new‘YoYP 2018 Champion of the Year’ category to award a person or group that has most embodied the outcomes and principles of YoYP 2018.

The other 12 categories relate to the themes of YoYP 2018, ranging from volunteering to young hero, excellence in education and the arts.

Winners and finalists of previous Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards include Amy Macdonald, Karen Gillan, Sir Andy Murray, Paolo Nutini, Laura Muir, Martin Compston and Paul Brannigan. From hundreds of entries, three finalists will be chosen in each of the 13 categories, and the winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony at the SEC Campus on St Andrew’s Day, November 30, 2018. The awards show will then be broadcast in a special STV show at a later date.

Sunday Mail editor Brendan McGinty said:“It is a privilege for this newspaper to help salute the achievements of our young heroes.

“The 2018 awards are set to be the climax of the Year of Young People and promise to be bigger and better than ever before.”

Louise Macdonald, chief executive of Young Scot, said:“Young people in West Lothian are doing absolutely amazing things every single day. If there’s a young person that impresses you, then we want to hear about them.”

To nominate your local young person from West Lothian, visit www. youngscotawards.com