Winners crowned at special awards ceremony in Johnstone

Held in partnership with Renfrewshire Council, the event saw 13 individuals, projects and businesses out of more than 60 nominees crowned at the annual awards night.

Showcasing the very best of Scots language and culture, the awards, which were first started in 2019, celebrate the importance of Scots language within arts and culture but also within daily life, education, and business.

Scottish playwright and screenwriter Rona Munro, from Selkirk, took home the award for Scots Writer o the Year, sponsored by National Library of Scotland.

Scots content creator Lauren Hay was named Scots Media Personality o the Year, while Rebecca Logan from Banff Academy was announced as Scots Teacher o the Year for her dedicated work.

Iona Fyfe performs (Image: Scots Language Awards)

Aberdeenshire teacher Jamie Fairbairn was named Scots Speaker o the Year for championing the Scots language at Banff Academy for over a decade.

Monymusk Primary School in Aberdeenshire was awarded Scots School o the Year for its dedication to sharing the Scots leid with the next generation. 

Scots Business o the Year was awarded to J.G. Ross the Baker, which has branches across the North East.

Aberdeen Student Show Ayetanic was named Scots Project o the Year, while Thomas Clark from Bellshill won Scots Book o the Year for Animal Fairm – his translation of George Orwell’s 1945 novel, which was published by Luath Press.

Traditional singer Natalie Chalmers won Scots Performer o the Year, while Young Scots Writer o the Year was awarded to Elise Atkins.

Iona Fyfe Trio perform (Image: Supplied)

This year’s Scots Champion o the Year is Shane Strachan, who is the current Scots Scriever at the National Library of Scotland, creating new work in response to their North East Scots archives.

The Janet Paisley Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to esteemed singer, songwriter and broadcaster Frieda Morrison, who has spent her life promoting Doric via radio, podcasts and the Doric Film Festival.

As well as the award presentations, there was also a host of incredible entertainment on display last night, including a recital from Renfrewshire's poet laureate Shaun Moore, who was appointed as the region's Tannahill Makar last year, talks from esteemed Scottish writers Cat Cochrane and Shane Strachan, and musical performances from celebrated brother duo Euan and Lewis McLaughlin, and talented folk singer Iona Fyfe.

Renfrewshire's Provost Lorraine Cameron said: "The very best of our Scots heritage and culture was on show at last night's Scots Language Awards and I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone who took home an award on the night. I was especially proud to see our local performers and schools listed among the nominees.

"The awards help to highlight and celebrate the important role Scots language plays in arts and culture as well as in our broader society and I know it's definitely experiencing a resurgence in Renfrewshire and that interest will only surely grow."