Pride of Scotland 2024: Meet the incredible heroes being honoured tonight

The countdown to the Daily Record Pride of Scotland Awards is over – and today we reveal the unsung heroes to be honoured at tonight’s red carpet spectacular.

Our glittering People’s Oscars will see awe-inspiring Scots recognised for their acts of courage and kindness. A dad who dragged a stranger from a burning car and police officers who tackled a machete-wielding attacker are among those being celebrated.

Also receiving a nod for their efforts are a teen who has been raising awareness of Type 1 diabetes and a couple whose tiny ponies are bringing joy to the vulnerable are among those being celebrated.

There will also be awards for schoolgirls Abbie Jarvis and Kaylynn Donald, who waved their anonymity to support a campaign against youth violence.

And firefighter John Aitchison, who set up a fire and rescue service on Mount Everest, is also receiving an award. The star-studded show, in partnership with TSB, is being hosted by actress Elaine C Smith and comedian Sanjeev Kohli.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Elaine & John Sangster, both 59, West Lothian

For the past nine years the couple and their tiny horses have been bringing joy and therapy to sick and disabled children, elderly patients and dementia sufferers across the nation.

They founded Therapy Ponies Scotland after taking their Shetland pony Wilson to visit a rehabilitation care home and realising the impact animal therapy can have.

They now visit care homes, nursing homes, hospices, daycare centres, sheltered housing facilities and out-of-school clubs for disabled children.

TEENAGER OF COURAGE

Lochlan Murdoch, 15, Cumnock, Ayrshire

Lochlan was just four years old and a week into starting primary school when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

In the years that followed, the football-mad teenager raised more than £10,000 to help other children with the condition before launching his own charity, Lochlan’s Legacy, during lockdown.

His charity works with the SFA and other organisations and young people to improve diabetes awareness and understanding of mental health.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Elaine Wyllie, 68, Burntisland, Fife

More than five million children globally are taking part in a health initiative thanks to ex-headteacher Elaine in 2012.

The Daily Mile involves classes heading outside to run, “wheel” or walk around their school grounds for 15 minutes every day. Elaine, who came up with the idea when she was headteacher of St Ninian’s Primary School in Stirling, said she is proud it has spread to 20,000 schools in 96 countries.

EMERGENCY SERVICES

PC Andrew McLaughlin & PC Ibrahim Malik, Lanarkshire

PC Malik was on his first day in the job with Constable McLaughlin when they were rammed three times by a car they had been pursuing in scenes described as being like “something out of a movie”.

The passengers in the stolen vehicle pelted the police car with missiles, including a brick and metal wheel brace, leaving it so badly damaged it had to be written off.

PC Malik then chased the machete-wielding driver who threatened him before being caught as he tried to climb a fence.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

The RNLI at 200

RNLI volunteers have saved more than 145,000 lives across the UK since the service was set up in 1824.

Crews across Scotland alone have launched 45,853 times during that time, saving 11,838 lives and on November 25, 2012, Ben Thomas, right, was one of the lives saved after being plucked from the stormy sea.

Within months Ben started volunteering at Broughty Ferry RNLI station, alongside six crew members who had spent five hours searching for him that day. He will pick up the award on behalf of the charity.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

John Aitchison, Gordon, 46, Aberdeenshire

After being deployed to Nepal following the devastating 2015 earthquake, firefighter John was so moved by what he saw, he returned to provide aid and has set up Everest’s first fire and rescue service.

Over the past decade the Watch Commander, who is also an advocate for mental health in the emergency services, has made multiple trips to the region, taking repurposed fire kit and humanitarian aid as well as training local emergency responders.

PRINCE’S TRUST YOUNG ACHIEVER

Sarah Garvin, 30, Strathaven, Lanarkshire

After struggling with depression, anxiety and misdiagnosis throughout school, Sarah was diagnosed with ADHD in her early 20s.

Since then, she has become a vocal campaigner for those with ADHD, especially young women.

Sarah went through The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme in 2022, building up a successful cake baking business, Cake ‘n’ Bake. With the support of mentors she has built her business from the ground up and runs baking classes in secondary schools for girls struggling in mainstream education.

TSB COMMUNITY HERO

Molly Cuddihy, 21 & Sara Millar, 20, Glasgow

The best pals who met at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow while undergoing cancer treatment as teenagers have raised over £300,000 to support children battling the disease.

Molly and Sara used their own experiences to raise funds and lobby for better services for younger patients after realising there was nowhere in the hospital eight to 12-year-olds could call their own.

They launched the Every Thank You Counts campaign and created a new recovery and social room.

OUTSTANDING BRAVERY

Asif Iqbal, 43, Dundee

The hero dad was driving to work along the A919 near RAF Leuchars in Fife when two cars crashed in front of him.

As a blaze broke out, he and three other motorists, including military personnel from the base, rushed from their cars to see what they could do.

Scientist Asif risked his life to drag the driver of one of the vehicles to safety while it was engulfed in flames during the incident in 2022.

TEENAGER OF COURAGE

Abbie Jarvis, 14, Glasgow & Kaylynn Donald, 13, Fife

The two young victims of sickening attacks by other children bravely waived their anonymity to back a campaign to support victims of youth violence.

Kaylynn was brutally attacked on a school bus by a group of bullies in Ladybank, Fife, and Abbie was lured to a park in Glasgow and beaten unconscious as other kids filmed the attack on their phones.

Both girls agreed to take part in the Daily Record’s Our Kids… Our Future campaign, set up to help tackle youth violence and call for more support for victims.

CHILD OF COURAGE

Caleb Stirrat, 8, Clydebank

The schoolboy is the inspiration behind the charity Caleb’s Trio of Hope, which helps the families of terminally-ill children.

The IVF triplet was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer in 2019 and had proton beam therapy in the US but the tumour returned in 2020 and his parents were told it was terminal.

Caleb helped his parents launch a charity to support other families facing palliative care for their children, which has already raised more than £17,000.

– Read about the big night in tomorrow’s Daily Record and on dailyrecord.co.uk. Tune into the Red Carpet LIVE at 5.30pm on today on Facebook and Instagram @prideofscotland.

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