A primary school where pupils can all run for two kilometres without stopping was last night named overall winner at the inaugural Herald Society Awards 2008, presented in association with the Big Lottery Fund.
A primary school where pupils can all run for two kilometres without stopping was last night named overall winner at the inaugural Herald Society Awards 2008, presented in association with the Big Lottery Fund.
St Kenneth's Primary in Greenock was named Herald Society Champion for 2008, a category also sponsored by the Big Lottery Fund, during the gala ceremony at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Glasgow. The school had earlier been declared winner of health provider of the year.
Headteacher Isobel Delussey said: "Every single child is involved and it is exciting because we are beginning to have an impact on the wider community. We are only a small school and it is fantastic to win."
The awards ceremony recognised high achievement in a wide range of categories by individuals and teams from the public and voluntary sectors. St Kenneth's was acclaimed by the judges for the remarkable breadth of its approach to healthy living for pupils, which includes a weekly running programme, a junior chef academy and even meditation sessions.
Frances Hunter, programme deviser and manager of North Lanarkshire Council's Positive Options for Women programme, was named as the Outstanding Public Service Worker of the year, in a category sponsored by IHM Scotland.
She said: "Public service does make a difference, and if my project makes a difference to one person that is fantastic."
The winner of the Lifetime Achievement award, sponsored by Royal Mail, was Nicola Stuckey, formerly head of clinical psychology at the Astley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh, who retired in July.
Janette Harkess, deputy editor of The Herald, said: "The Herald is delighted to recognise the innovative and inspirational work going on throughout Scotland's voluntary and public sectors. It is fitting that the positive impact these individuals and their organisations make is celebrated and these success stories are shared."
