It will be an emotional evening at Dalbeattie next Thursday when the inaugural JP Young Volunteer Awards are staged in the Maxwell Arms.
The ceremony will celebrate the achievements of young people in the town and the work they do for good causes in their community and further afield.
The awards were set up by local mum Louise Keegan in memory of her uncle and inspiration Jock Pickthall, who died on November 10 last year aged 64.
Louise told the News: “The awards will be held at 6pm on Thursday, June 15 which is Jock’s birthday,
“It’s the first one that he’s not around for so we decided as a family to celebrate his birthday each year by gifting money to the young people of Dalbeattie who follow his passion for volunteering.
“He was a keen volunteer in the community for many of years.
“I particularly remember him doing the befriending project for troubled youngsters.
“He was also chairman at the local forest partnership when Native American wood carvers came over from British Columbia in Canada in 2003 to make a totem pole, which was sculpted by community groups and loads of schoolchildren.”
Louise added: “Uncle Jock never gave up, he was very community spirited and very clever and used to fix computers for everybody in the town.
“I’ve done loads of community projects in Dalbeattie and I wouldn’t have done those things were it not for him.
“He gave me good morals and was very witty, very kind and would stop and talk to everybody on the street, which used to drive us mad!”
Louise said a total of 42 nominations had been received this year and the results will be announced on the night.
She said: “The children are outstanding and well deserving of this recognition.
“We will be holding the awards party at the Maxwell Arms and local businesses have chipped in to make sure we throw them an amazing night.
“The winner of the overall prize receives £50 cash as well as the shield.
“There are more trophies and medals to be handed out and two vouchers for Dalbeattie Books.”
Louise added: “I am so proud of our young people.
“It has always been a passion of mine to work with youngsters and encourage them to volunteer and better their own community.
“To teach them that the grass is greener where you water it.
“My uncle Jock helped raise me and those community spirited values are what he left me with.”
