Community's heroes to star at new awards
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INSPIRATIONAL heroes who throw their heart into community-spirited work in one Easter Ross are to be recognised by a new awards night.
The brand new Tain and District Community Awards, which will be hosted by the Tain and District Development Trust (TDDT), aim to celebrate the people, businesses and groups who help make Tain and neighbouring villages the community that they are.
Nominations are now live and the community will have their chance to vote via voting boxes and cards distributed at locations throughout the district.
These include local schools, the library, Tain Health Centre, Seaboard Memorial Hall, Carnegie Café in Portmahomack, Tesco and more. People can also vote online at www.tainddtrust.com, where a full list of voting box locations can also be found.
"The evening will be a celebration of the stars and heroes within our district, it is a fantastic opportunity for us to recognise the inspirational individuals, groups and businesses that do so much for our community," said the trust’s chairwoman, Sarah Mackenzie.
Trust director, Carrie Afrin, added: "The event will also mark ‘the one year anniversary’ of the Tain and District Development Trust.
"We have come such a long way in a short space of time and this is a great testament to what can be achieved when communities come together."
Since its launch the trust launched a number of successful projects, including a community market that has been running throughout the summer, with the final one of the season taking place tomorrow in Tain’s Rose Garden from midday to 4pm.
A retail unit has also been secured by the trust for the next three years, with plans to use the space as a community enterprise hub. The hub will provide the community with a variety of services including hot desking, conference facilities, training, a virtual office, creative workshops and pop-up shops. Renovations will start next month with the hope of being up and running by Christmas.
"We are delighted with the involvement and support we have been given from local businesses as well as the community," continued Ms MacKenzie.
"TDDT now have over 35 business members within our business development group and we are actively encouraging businesses and the community to work together, we believe that this is the key to a sustainable future for Tain and District.
"The Community Awards is a fantastic example of this, where we have had many local businesses come forward to sponsor an awards category and help to make the evening extra special."
The community has certainly been rallying to support the new awards. A number of sponsors have stepped forward, including the Tain and District Medical Group, which is sponsoring the Dr Elizabeth Ross award for Carer of the Year.
"Dr Elizabeth Ross was from Tain and an inspirational figure in Serbia where her name is a by-word for courage and bravery in her work as a missionary," said the medical group’s partners, Lorna Waddell, Jesus Ferrer and Lorna MacKay. "We are delighted to sponsor an award that honors Elizabeth’s work as a pioneer to many young doctors."
The awards will take place on Friday, November 16 in the Duthac Centre, Tain. It will start with a champagne reception, followed by a two-course meal with wine. Following the awards ceremony there will also be live music from ‘The Cowans’. Tickets are now on sale through Eventbrite or www.tainddtrust.com
