Eight local people have been shortlisted from around a dozen nominations gathered over the past few weeks.
These unsung heroes will be given the red carpet treatment at a gala awards ceremony hosted by Provost Tina Murphy at Alloa Town Hall on Thursday 23rd February.
The awards ceremony will be a joint event with Clackmannanshire Sports Council and the Council's Education Service with three different categories of award - Citizen of the Year, Sports Council Awards and the Enterprise in Education Award. Sadly Clackmannanshire Arts Forum have decided not to participate in this year's event having received very few nominations for their awards.
The Citizen of the Year finalists were identified by members of the Lord Lieutenant's Trust, including Lord Lieutenant George Reid who has kindly agreed to sponsor the main Citizen of the Year Award. He will present the 2011 Citizen of the Year, who will be announced on the evening, with their prize.
Provost Tina Murphy will welcome guests to the ceremony, while Sheila Bulloch will be Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Diageo are sponsoring the welcome drinks reception, while Glencairn Crystal has once again provided a gift for each of the eight finalists.
Provost Murphy said: "Thank you to everyone who made a nomination to the 2011 Citizen of the Year award. It was truly inspirational to hear about the wonderful work of all our nominees and it will be an honour to meet them at the Clackmannanshire Awards."
The nominees for Citizen of the Year are:
Chris Calder
Founder member of Tullibody History Group, enthusiastic Chris started by making a scale model of the village in her home. The group now has a fantastic display in the former bowling club, with Chris spending hours on research and doing whatever it takes to promote Tullibody.
Lewis Green
Head boy at Alloa Academy, Lewis is committed to a range of local voluntary groups and is active within New Struan School. He was first introduced to the work of CVS Clackmannanshire through a work experience placement and was inspired to continue working with the organisation.
Val Hume
Great-great-grandmother, Val is treasurer of Alloa Central Community Council. She has given a lot of time to maintain the Old People's Welfare Hall in Erskine Street, Alloa, as well as organising events such as the Over 70s Christmas Meal and intergenerational events involving young people from Sauchie and Alloa.
David Hunter
A volunteer driver for Strathcarron Hospice for the past 16 years, David also helps disabled people with their shopping and visits the ill and housebound members of the Ludgate Church. He is chairman of Friends of Alloa Tower, has been a member of Alloa Musical Players for 58 years and has served on the committee of Clackmannan Field Studies Society for 12 years.
Erin McNeil
Brave Erin began her charity work after being burned in a house fire which left her battling for her life. Since her recovery she has raised £65,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity. She also volunteers with Central Scotland Fire & Rescue Service, speaking to young people at local schools and colleges about the dangers of fire.
Janet Morrison
Committed to the Girl Guide movement for most of her life, Janet leads the Brownie group in Sauchie. She gives up a great deal of her time to attend training courses to develop her skills as well as taking her group on residential visits.
Elaine Pitcairn
A foster carer for 16 years, Elaine has had 41 children in her care over those years. In addition she provides support to children returning to their families, 'buddies' new foster carers and assists with training to give an insight into the work of a foster carer.
Keith Turner
Long-time President of Sauchie Community Group, Keith has worked with endless drive and energy to improve the quality of life in the village. He has made an outstanding contribution by organising many of the activities in Sauchie, having a beneficial impact on the lives of all the town's inhabitants.
The Enterprise in Education Award recognises school/business partnerships and the contribution and engagement local business and partners have in supporting enterprising activities in schools.
Determined to Succeed, Enterprise in Education, is a government funded initiative to promote a "can do will do " attitude among young people by giving them valuable experiences in the skills which will help prepare them for the world of work.
This year 3 partnerships have been shortlisted for the award. The shortlisted partnerships are: Abercromby Primary School and IBM; Clackmannan Primary School and Clackmannan Community Council; and Abercromby Primary School and the Tullibody Healthy Living Initiative.
Clackmannanshire Sports Council's shortlist for the sports awards are:
Junior Sports personality of the Year - Sponsored by the Wee County News
Sarah McMahon Tae Kwon Do
Brian Harper Wrestling
Sammi Tasker Motorcycling
Senior Sports Personality of the Year - Sponsored by Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser
There will be an award for this category but judging has still to take place.
School Team of the Year
St Bernadette's Boccia team
Alva Academy Senior Rugby team
Alva Primary Athletics team
Team of the Year - sponsored by Russell + Aitken
Tullibody Wrestling Club
Hillfoots under 18 Rugby Football Club
Hillfoots Rugby Football Club
Triumph Over Adversity - Sponsored by Machin Associates
Marc Miller Swimming
Kevin Wallace Bowling
Meggan Dawson-Farrell Athletics
Service to Sport - Sponsored by SALSC
Colin McLaren and Alan Harper Wrestling
Mary Greaves Swimming
Morag Jamieson Gymnastics
Enid Barton Coach of the Year Award
Mike Robins Rugby
Liane Rooney T.K.D
Alan Harper and Colin McLaren Wrestling
Young Leader/Volunteer - Sponsored Stephen Campbell in association with Braveheart
There will be an award for this category but judging has still to take place.
The event will also see the second annual Growing in Excellence awards given to Council staff. There are five categories which will celebrate our culture of providing outstanding customer service and leadership.
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The warning follows a number of complaints made to the Trading Standards Consumer Advice Team about the scam.
The caller asks you to buy a UK Credit Voucher or UKASH Voucher for £200, to cover an administration fee.
The caller states that once the money has been paid, a lawyer will then visit your address with the cash payment from the PPI Scheme. They then call you back and ask for the UKASH voucher number.
Once you give them the voucher number - they then 'cash' the Voucher online - and you never see the lawyer or your 'refunded' PPI money.
Councillor Eddie Carrick, Sustainability Portfolio Holder, said: " It is always very concerning to hear about these types of scams. There has been a lot of media coverage on the mis-selling of Payment Protection Insurance and it comes as no surprise that fraudsters are attempting to capitalise. They can be very convincing and often quote your name and address details. Our advice is that if you receive such an unsolicited telephone, do not divulge any personal information. The best thing to do is to hang up the phone."
If you have received such an unsolicited telephone call and wish to talk to a member of the Trading Standards Team, please phone 0845 277 7000.
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Clackmannanshire was the first Councils in Scotland to offer a range of delicious dinners, frozen, and delivered to your door when it launched the service in November 2010.
This service is open to everyone and delivery is free to people living in Clackmannanshire.
The individual frozen meal service is provided by Class Cuisine, the Council's catering service which also produces school meals and meals on wheels.
Council Leader Gary Womersley said: "I'm delighted to hear that Class Cuisine's individual meal home delivery service is proving popular. These meals are ideal for elderly people who do not qualify for meals on wheels, as well as many other people such as those who don't have time or the inclination to cook. It's very reassuring for customers to know, that as well as being nutritious, these meals are made locally and delivered locally by Council staff based in Sauchie, helping to support jobs at Class Cuisine."
Councillor Womersley met one of Class Cuisine's content customers, Margaret McPhie in Clackmannan this week.
Mrs McPhie said: "The meals are lovely, they really do taste like home cooked food. They are not to over spiced or salty and they are very good value for money."
Her comments are echoed by fellow customers Andrew Telfor in Alloa who said: "The quality of the meals is very good and they are exceptional value for money." And Annie Laird in Clackmannan who said: "The meals and service are brilliant and the delivery driver is lovely."
Janet McIntosh in Sauchie, added: "I am very pleased with all my meals and the service provided."
A brochure which promotes the service is widely available in Council offices and online at www.clacksweb.org.uk/community/mealservice/. A variety of soups, main meals and desserts are on offer and the brochure contains photos of all the meal ranges: beef, chicken, pork, lamb, fish and vegetarian.
Over 70 dishes are available, each developed by the Council's catering staff and cooked at Class Cuisine in Sauchie. They are then immediately frozen to preserve flavour and nutrients.
Once ordered, the food is delivered to the customer. You can keep it in your freezer and then heat it up in the oven or microwave when you want it. The minimum order is £20.
For more information call 450000 or visit ClacksWeb.
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The Trust awards grants to local groups to help them implement projects that improve the environment and provide a benefit to both the local community and the general public.
To date in Clackmannanshire, the Trust has distributed £94,500 to 18 different groups to complete 24 projects worth £199,500 to the local area. A further 12 groups have been awarded just over £120,000 for ongoing projects estimated to be valued at over £500,000.
Many types of groups across Clackmannanshire have benefited from funding to carry out a wide range of projects.
Alloa rugby pitches are a popular recreational area, used by both the rugby club and local residents. However, drainage was a real issue with the area often under water. So Alloa Rugby Club applied for and received two awards from the Trust, £4,500 in 2009 and a further £2882 in 2010, to carry out the much need drainage improvement works.
Club Secretary Graeme Kerr said: "Without the grant from CSET, Alloa rugby pitches would be un-playable as they would be under water because of the serious drainage issue. The grants from the Trust allowed us to successfully resolve this, and I'm happy to say that despite the recent wet weather no games have had to be postponed because of pitch problems."
The Delph Pond Forum in Tullibody were awarded £2365 in 2009 as a contribution towards the provision of picnic benches and seats for use by the community in the public park.
Local resident and forum member Janette McGowan said: "The Delph is a well used and well known recreational area but suffered from a lack of facilities. The benches and seats are a boon for the area and have been well used by the local community."
The Devonvale Hall In Tillicoultry has been run by the community-based Devonvale Hall Company Ltd since 2005. The group continues to work to restore the hall to its former glory, and while this is an ongoing issue, the company were more than happy to receive £2500 in June 2008 to upgrade the lightening and a further £13,663 in March 2010 for brand new seats.
Tillicoultry Primary School was awarded £4000 in 2011 towards constructing a footpath around the school grounds and through the section of community woodland. Head teacher Patricia Paterson has welcomed the improvement to the grounds, particularly as it allows greater accessibility for both the pupils and the local community irrespective of the weather!
Given the positive impacts the Trust has made so far, chairman Terry Barlow wants to encourage more groups to seek funding from the Trust. He said: "The community are at the heart of the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Environment Trust and as such the Trust has used the Landfill Community Fund monies it receives, to support projects that the local people want and need."
Clackmannanshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Sustainability Councillor Eddie Carrick added: "I would like to urge as many local groups as possible to consider applying for this funding. This funding will be able to help some grass-roots schemes get off the ground, make improvements to the built and natural environment and generally improve the quality of life in our communities."
Applying for funding is straight forward, as any not-for-profit organisation that wants to carry out a project that benefits the local community, improves the local environment and can demonstrate public access can apply. Groups can apply at any time for a small grant of up to £2000 to implement a project costing no more than £4000. If you are considering a larger project this year you need to apply by the following deadlines 2nd March, 11th May or 12th October 2012.
For further details or to discuss a project proposal please contact from the Trust's manager Audrey Morrison on 01786 484611 or by email on morrisona@stirling.gov.uk
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The decision was taken at last week's meeting of the Council, when it was also agreed not to proceed with the planned demolition of the former toilet block at Maple Court. The moves follow the change in political leadership at the Council.
The Council previously agreed to close and demolish the public toilets in Alloa.
Council Leader Gary Womersley said: "I am delighted to halt the demolition of the public toilets, particularly on the basis that this is cost-neutral to the Council."
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The improvement work at the two woodlands, which is being carried out following a successful application by the Council to the Forestry Commission Scotland's Woodlands In and Around Towns (WIAT) fund and the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Environment Trust, is expected to be completed in 10 weeks.
Councillor Eddie Carrick, Sustainability Portfolio Holder, said: "This will give a new lease of life to both sites, and we hope the efforts to restore the woodlands, combined with improving public access, will encourage more people to return and enjoy these picturesque areas.
"As well as offering a tremendous panoramic view of the River Forth, the paths at the Pleasure Grounds link two residential areas and we would love to see more people once again using this area for walking."
Access for the public will be restricted at times when operational work is in progress and the Council apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.
We are now moving to the nomination stage and would like to invite residents of these areas to consider becoming a Community Councillor. The number of vacancies are:
The nomination process is simple - just fill out one of our nomination forms and get two people to support you. Anyone who is over the age of 16 and who appears on our electoral roll can stand.
Community Councillors need no particular qualifications or prior experience - everyone has the ability to make a contribution, and support is available. Ideally, your community council will be made up of men and women from every background and all neighbourhoods to reflect the variety in the community it represents.
Provost Tina Murphy said: "It is great news for local democracy locally that our residents have raised petitions to establish new community councils in their areas. I cannot stress enough how important it is that these new community councils receive nominations from as broad a spectrum of the community as possible. It is this breadth which gives community councils their legitimacy and strength. If people come forward in sufficient numbers, we will eventually succeed in having a community council to represent the interests of every single Clackmannanshire resident."
Provost Murphy added: "Community Councillors help the people of their area express their views on matters which affect the broad community. They discuss community concerns with different Council officers which helps them in turn explain to their neighbours why the Council delivers its services in the way it does. This sort of conversation can lead to small changes to services which can make a big difference to the people who receive them."
The closing date for receipt of nominations is Thursday 16th February. Information on the role of a Community Councillor and the election process is available on our website at www.clacksweb.org.uk/community councils or by calling 01259 452112 or email adminservices@clacks.gov.uk
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Pupils, who were learning about the exploits and achievements of famous Scots who have contributed in a variety of ways to the country's history, were invited to dress up as a famous character - historic, current or fictional. All the learning in the school related to Scotland's language, culture and heritage.
Pupils were judge on their costumes and how well they shared their research on their chosen Scottish person.
While the judges' decision was difficult, the first prizes went to Aoife Douglas P1/2 as Katie Moray, Max Ryan P3/4 as Oor Wullie, Kyri Augusti P5/6 as Robert the Bruce and Abaigael Milne P6/7 as Mary Queen of Scots. Pupils who teamed together, including Elidh Hughes, Ellie Kettrick and Florence Maitland-Smith as Burke and Hare and Kaya Wilson and Joseph Nardini as Jamie and Andy Murray, were commended, as was Heather Golledge who portrayed Mary Slessor and told the audience about her missionary work in Nigeria.
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The three prizes are being presented as Clackmannanshire libraries take part in National Libraries Day, which is designed to raise awareness of libraries, encourage more people to join and experience what local libraries have to offer. The theme of the day is 'Use it, Love it, Join it'.
Library staff are also involved with other promotional activity, including Bookbug costume visits to local nurseries and holding Bookbug sessions in Alloa twice a week.
The National Libraries Day will be a celebration of the work done in schools, colleges, universities, workplaces and public libraries to promote learning, literacy and the enjoyment of reading to all. It is supported by a range of organisations including the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals, the Reading Agency, the National Federation of Women's Institutes, library campaigners and publishers.
Twenty-three of the country's most outstanding writers, including Julian Barnes, Alan Bennett and Stephen Fry, have also contributed to The Library Book, in which they describe libraries real or imagined, past, present, and future - why they matter and to whom.
Depute Leader, Councillor Mark English, said: "We want to encourage library users, new and old, to go along to their local library and find out about the many services on offer. Your local library is the place you can choose a book, use a computer, find out about local history, do research, attend literary events, access community facilities and so much more."
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Councillor Eddie Carrick has been elected to the position of second Depute Provost. Councillor Carrick will support Provost Tina Murphy and existing Depute Provost Janis Paterson and share their workload of civic and public duties and events. This new post will not carry with it any additional remuneration.
The meeting also agreed to continue to pay special allowances to eight senior councillors who have significant additional responsibility, as well as to the Leader of the Council and the Provost. Councillor remuneration levels are set nationally by the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee.
The change of administration will also require some changes in membership of certain committees in order to maintain political balance. These changes will be made in the coming weeks.
Council Leader Gary Womersley said: "These minor changes are necessary to reflect the new political reality at the Council. I'm sure local residents will be reassured to hear that the changes are cost neutral."
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