Honours for ‘best and brightest’

Awards: Ceremony celebrates young people, volunteers and community groups

The best and brightest of Aberdeenshire’s young people, volunteers and community groups were celebrated last night.

This year’s Inspiring Aberdeenshire awards were held in a packed Haddo House, near Tarves.

The glittering ceremony, in the hotel’s opulent Canadian Hall, welcomed 11 winners to the stage to collect their awards.

Guests were piped into the hall by the Aberdeenshire Schools Pipe Band before being treated to a delicious

“Aberdeenshire is the real winner with so many willing to give their time”

meal prepared by Ellon Academy’s catering team.

Lord Provost Bill Howatson said he was bowled over by the achievements of the winners.

“Each of the finalists could have been a winner and it was very hard for the judging panel to decide who should walk away with the award,” he said.

“Personally I think Aberdeenshire is the real winner with so many wonderful people willing to give their precious time and energy to support and enhance their communities.”

Among those honoured was 13-year-old Jonathon Edwards, a Banff Academy pupil who has tirelessly fundraised for sick children since 2011 while battling a brain tumour. He scooped the Pupil Voice award.

Pensioner James Gordon, who helped found the Grampian Transport Museum, won the Best of Marr category, while organiser of the Buchan Heritage Festival – Sandy May – was given the Doric Award.

Meanwhile, festive cheer was in the air as William and Margaret McRobbie won the Best of Buchan category for their charity Christmas display at their Fraserburgh home. The money raised is donated to St Combs Primary School.

Norman Whyte, a tenant of Windmill Court sheltered housing scheme, received the Best of Banff and Buchan award for his efforts in arranging entertainment for the residents.

And Adam Howie was the winner of the Best of Kincardine and Mearns for his work with the RNLI in Stonehaven and as a volunteer first responder with the ambulance service.

The Best of Formartine award was won by Peter Scarlett, who volunteers at the Benchmark Project, for adults with learning disabilities in Ellon.

An initiative to help Syrian refugees, the Amal Project, was given the Best of Garioch award. And Katie McLean won Outstanding Leader for helping refugees integrate into communities across the region.

Cherry Hudson, 17, won the Young Leader prize for her work as a dance teacher.

Photograph: Kami Thomson WINNING SMILES: Inspiring Aberdeenshire Award winners; back row, from left, Peter Scarlett, Cherry Hudson, Kate McLean, William and Margaret McRobbie, Sandy May, Norman Whyte, James Gordon. And front, from left, Mohammed Chaoud and Dured Alhalbe, Adam...