THE Scottish public are being called on to nominate their Scots language heroes ahead of a national awards ceremony.
Arts organisation Hands Up For Trad is calling on people to put forward their Scots language champions for national recognition as nominations for the Scots Language Awards are now open.
The ceremony celebrates Scots in daily life, education, business arts and culture and will take place in Cumnock Town Hall on September 14 as the awards travel to Ayrshire for the first time.
Nominations are open from today until Sunday August 4 while tickets for the event and you can put someone forward for an award by clicking HERE.
The award categories include:
- Janet Paisley Services to Scots Award, supported by Creative Scotland
- Scots Champion Award
- Young Scots Writer o the Year, sponsored by Education Scotland
- Scots Writer o the Year, sponsored by National Library of Scotland
- Scots Bairns Book o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Government
- Scots Speaker o the Year
- Scots Community Project o the Year
- Scots Educational Project o the Year
- Scots Teacher o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Qualifications Authority
- Scots Schuil (School) o the Year, sponsored by Itchy Coo / Black & White Publishing
- Scots Book o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Book Trust
- Scots Performer o the Year, sponsored by TRACS
Tickets for the event, which is set to feature Scots writer, broadcaster and advocate Billy Kay, can be found HERE.
Flute player and guitarist from Coylton in Ayrshire Sean Gray and the National Library of Scotland’s Scots Scriever Susi Briggs (below) will also make an appearance.
Awards organiser Simon Thoumire said: “It’s noo officially the time tae get yer Scots Language Awards nominations in.
"We want to hear aa aboot the fowk up an doon aa the pairts o Scotland; the ains wha are the grand advocates for the leid an hae makkit a contribution tae furtherin its yiss, in particlar throuoot the past year.
"Whether thae unsung heroes are yissin Scots at hame in their ain communities or in thir airts, we want tae ken aboot it an ettle tae shine a licht on thir efforts.
"Yiv got until August 4th tae mak shuir the spikkers an scrievers ye yersel ken are recognised, we cannae wait to hear thir stories.”
Provost of East Ayrshire Jim Todd meanwhile commented: "I urge everyone across Scotland to get their nominations submitted for the Scots Language Awards, which will be held in Ayrshire for the first time this September.
"Cumnock is the perfect location for the awards and I am really hopeful that our communities will nominate local people who do their upmost to promote the Scots Language, and keep it alive.
"It is important that we recognise this work, so please take five minutes to nominate because as we all know - if yer no in it, ye cannae win it.
