jogscotland Award Winners announced!

Pictured: JogScotland Haddington, with Leader of the Year Neil Scott (back row, third from right)

The jogscotland Award Winners 2016 were announced at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow last night. The three awards were presented as part of the scottishathletics awards, in front of a packed ballroom of around 400 people – including Olympians, Paralympians, and special guest Derek Redmond.

Huge congratulations to all our winners, who exemplify the best of jogscotland. Congratulations also to our other shortlisted nominees – all your stories moved and inspired us!

jogscotland Achiever of the Year

Allison Smith (Jog Stewarton)
Allison is a Jog Leader with Jog Stewarton, who always puts others’ running goals before her own. Nonetheless, her own running has reached new heights this year as she tackled her first ultramarathons.
A major achievement for Allison this year has been the decision to speak out about her own survival of child abuse. The personal strength she has gained from running gave her the courage to tell her family and friends, report the abuse and receive support to help her deal with her experiences, and identify as a survivor. She is now using running to help others in her position find hope – despite being hampered by injuries, often brought on by stress, she completed River Ayr Way ultramarathon to raise funds for Break the Silence, the charity which has supported her.

jogscotland Leader of the Year

Neil Scott (JogScotland Haddington)
Neil is the ‘heart’ of JogScotland Haddington, which he founded six years ago. One of his nominators said: “He just simply believes you can do it, which often means people achieve much more than they think they are capable of.”
His dedication also demonstrates just how well jogscotland can support the wider running community – the group has helped reinvigorate a long-standing local running club by the addition of a large number of new jogscotland members, most of whom would never previously have considered joining a ‘proper’ running club.
One nominator said Neil had helped him go from a complete beginner to completing ultras including the Hoka Highland Fling and The Devil o’the Highlands.
He is described as “encouraging, knowledgeable and selfless.”

jogscotland Group of the Year

JogScotland Kintore
JogScotland Kintore was establish around two years ago, and is run by Jog Leaders Tammy Wilson and Stephen Simpson.
Many of those who nominated the group praised it as being not just a jog group, but a huge, happy family, whose members support and motivate each other. The leaders see the potential in everyone, from those jogging for 30 seconds to people planning their first marathon.
With up to 90 joggers each week, the group has transformed not only the lives of its members but also the community in the small town of Kintore.
Sessions are both challenging and enjoyable, with an atmosphere of encouragment, belief and spirit.
It is praised as a group that “makes dreams possible.”