Scotswoman of the Year

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Activist Abby, who is from Longforgan, has been campaigning for a national heart screening programme since her schooldays. Inspired to fundraise and campaign for charity Cardiac Risk in the Young, the 21-year-old persuaded all 59 Scottish MPs to back the call for such a service, which could prevent young people dying from undiagnosed heart conditions. Abby was inspired to become an activist after attending a local heart screening funded by the #4Pete campaign, set up in memory of Pete McAvoy, who died age 22. Abby continues to campaign while completing her university studies. She delivered the Time for Reflection speech at the Scottish Parliament the charity’s work and was a keynote speaker at CRY’s parliamentary reception at the House of Commons, where she met parents whose children had died of YSCD. By sharing her social action story she hopes to inspire other young people to continue changing their communities for the better.

Mariya, from Elderslie, has been dedicated to fundraising and helping other people since her big brother Ahmar died five years ago. Determined to honour his memory, the 12-year-old has worked tirelessly to raise money for the tribute fund Another Star in the Sky, set up by her parents in association with Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. She has helped raise more than £15,000 for research into rare conditions and to fund bereavement support services. Mariya has taken part in every Glasgow Kiltwalk since 2017, and has volunteered at many pop-up shops and bucket collections. She is also a young ambassador for the Miracle Foundation, a Motherwell-based charity which supports young people who have suffered bereavement and trauma. Throughout all of this, she has grieved for her beloved brother, and bravely shares her story in the hope she can help others.

Champion athlete Meghan, from East Kilbride, has achieved significant milestones in her disciplines within field athletics, despite the major obstacles of Covid -19. In 2021, she stepped up an age group in the under-20 Scottish championships, winning gold in discus and silver in the shot, both with personal bests. Meghan won a bronze medal in the UK school games and has continually pushed the Scottish indoor record to new levels. At the England Athletic Junior championships in Sheffield, she won gold in the shot and most recently, in the Scottish schools over-17 championship, she achieved a silver medal and a new Scottish U17 indoor shot record. On top of her boundary-pushing achievements, Megan is a popular pupil and role model at school, and an inspiration to everyone she meets.

Passionate climate activist Tess Corcoran, from Glenfarg, is 18 years old and committed to driving change in Scotland. She is the Volunteer Coordinator for Teach the Future, a movement of which she was a founding member, which aims to have the climate emergency part of every subject on the national curriculum by September 2022. Tess has been active in climate-change-related campaigns for three years, determined to help young people’s voices be heard in the biggest crisis facing their generation. By leading the charge in ensuring education has a key role to play in how Scotland addresses the climate crisis, she is helping to put young people at the heart of the debate and has become an inspirational role model for social activists – of any age – across the country.