Award Categories & Guidelines
The Age Scotland Awards are back for 2025.
The Age Scotland Awards take place on the 8th October 2025. The ceremony will recognise the hard work and dedication of individuals, groups and organisations making a positive difference to the lives of older people in Scotland.
All award categories are now closed for nominations. Thank you for submitting your nominations.
Award winners for all categories (except the Community Champion Award) will be contacted by July 2025. The winner of the Community Champion Award will be contacted by August 2025.
Hear more from Nicky, our Head of Community Development
Award Categories and Nomination Criteria 2025
Campaigning and Influencing Award
Description
The Campaigning and Influencing Award, also known as the Jess Barrow Award, is given to an individual or group who, by campaigning, has highlighted and tackled a specific issue impacting older people.
Campaigning and Influencing Award winners may have played a pivotal role in influencing policy, started a lived experience group, or raised awareness of an important issue that affects older people.
Age Scotland’s Campaigning and Influencing Award is in memory of former Policy Manager Jess Barrow, who actively campaigned on a variety of issues and had a single-minded focus and commitment to make change happen.
Criteria
Nominees must have made a positive change or raised the profile of issues which has affected older people in Scotland. This could include influencing decisions of the Government, Councils, or public services, bringing together communities, and engaging the public in campaigning activities.
Judges will be looking for examples of drive, creativity, and innovation as well as an ability to demonstrate the impact of the campaign.
Please include facts and figures that highlight how the campaign has achieved its purposes and real-life examples of the impact of the campaign on older people. This may include case studies and/or personal testimonials.
Nominations are now closed.
Best Working Partnership Award
Description
The Best Working Partnership Award, also known as the Patrick Brooks Award, is for partnership working that has made an outstanding contribution to addressing the needs of older people.
Partnerships can provide a range of support that benefits older people. The partnership could reduce loneliness and isolation, tackle ageism, support diversity and inclusion, and improve access to health and social care.
Age Scotland’s Best Working Partnership Award is in memory of former Trustee Patrick Brooks, who was passionate about healthy ageing and a true champion for older people.
Criteria
The partnership should be two or more community groups or third sector organisations working together in Scotland to achieve more for older people. Profit-making organisations are not eligible to apply.
Judges will be looking for evidence that all partners played an active role in the project, service, or activity.
Please include facts and figures that demonstrate the success of the work and real-life examples of how the partnership has improved the lives of older people in Scotland. Where possible, please include case studies and/or personal testimonials that show the difference your partnership is making.
Nominations are now closed.
Services for Older People Award
Description
The Services for Older People Award is given to a group or organisation that has provided an innovative service run by, or on behalf of, older people, which has addressed the issue of loneliness and isolation, supported older people to stay connected, and/or improved health and wellbeing in later life.
Criteria
The panel will consider all types of service provision delivered in Scotland by a community group or not-for-profit organisation.
Judges will look for examples of creativity and innovation as well as an ability to demonstrate the impact of the service. Judges will be looking for both facts and figures that highlight how the service has achieved its purposes and real-life examples of the impact of the service on older people. Where possible, please include case studies and/or personal testimonials that show the difference your service is making.
Nominations are now closed.
Member Group of the Year Award
Description
The Member Group of the Year Award is given to an Age Scotland Community Member Group or Organisation which has made a positive impact on the lives of older people in their community.
Member Group of the Year Winners may offer much needed social connection for older people, go above and beyond include older people who might not otherwise have been be able to attend, or reach a significant number of older people in the community through the group’s services and activities.
Criteria
The award is only open to Age Scotland Community Group Members.
Judges will be looking for both facts and figures that highlight how the group or organisation has achieved its purposes and real-life examples of the difference the group has made to the lives of older people. Where possible, please include case studies and/or personal testimonials that show the difference your group/organisation makes.
Nominations are now closed.
Volunteer of the Year Award
Description
The Volunteer of the Year Award is given to an individual who has an outstanding record of volunteering with older people.
Criteria
Nominations are invited for individuals who have volunteered their time and made a positive impact to the lives of older people in Scotland.
Nominations must be for someone who gives their time to help others in an unpaid capacity and participated in volunteering between July 2024 and May 2025.
Judges will be looking for both facts and figures that show the work of the person nominated and real-life examples of the difference they make.
Nominations are now closed.
Fundraiser of the Year Award
Description
The Fundraiser of the Year Award is given to a fundraiser who has gone above and beyond to raise vital funds for Age Scotland to support older people.
Criteria
To be eligible the fundraiser will have raised money for Age Scotland between July 2024 and May 2025.
Nominations will be accepted for individuals and groups raising money for Age Scotland or volunteers and staff members raising money for Age Scotland on behalf or organisations.
Fundraisers can be of any age. Under 18s should ask a parent or guardian to complete the nomination form on their behalf.
Whilst the amount of money raised is an important consideration, the judges will also be looking for a fundraiser who is passionate about Age Scotland's cause, has shared meaningful stories and gone the extra mile to raise awareness about the difference their fundraising efforts have made for older people in Scotland.
Nominations are now closed.
Community Champion
Description
The Community Champion Award recognises the meaningful difference a member of the public has made for an older person or older people in their community.
The Community Champion Award aims to inspire the general public to support older people in their communities by highlighting the big difference, small, informal contributions can make for older people across Scotland.
Examples of a Community Champion could include a neighbour who helps an older person with their gardening or a delivery person who goes out of their way to ensure an isolated older person receives their post.
Criteria
A Community Champion must be someone who has made a difference for an older person or people based in Scotland.
A Community Champion can be of any age. If nominating someone under 18, please ask their parent or guardian for consent before submitting the nomination.
The Community Champion should not be related to the older person/people but can be a friend, neighbour, or someone who has made a difference for that person.
There are no restrictions on how often a Community Champion helps an older person, as the winner is determined by how the support makes the older person feel. A Community Champion can support the person on a one-off, ad-hoc, or regular basis, but should not be working with the older person/people in a paid or formal capacity.
Nominations are now closed.