Radio presenter Bryan Burnett to celebrate Fife's champions

Radio presenter Bryan Burnett to celebrate Fife’s champions

‘INSPIRATION’ will be the word of the day when radio presenter Bryan Burnett takes to the stage to host the Dunfermline Press and Central Fife Times’ Community Champions awards.

The BBC Radio Scotland personality suspects “there may be a wee greet” on the night as he helps us to recognise West Fife’s unsung heroes.

The aim of the awards is to reward and celebrate the people who make our communities a better place and we can’t wait to share the nominees’ stories at Dunfermline’s Glen Pavilion later this month.

Bryan said: “For me the reason I love doing these things is that I get to stand on stage and share good news.

“You get to hear the stories of people who have done brilliant things and people win something.

“They are always great fun to present, we are used to seeing people get on stage and have to deliver tough news, so it’s brilliant to have a night of good news stories.”

“Even though only a hand full of people can win the awards on the night, it’s brilliant that everybody gets the recognition.

He continued: “It’s really lovely to see what it means to them, we can read about it before hand and hear other people talk about them, but it’s only when you talk to the nominees and the winners that you realise just what it means to be recognised.

“Everyone who is a community champion didn’t get into it to win awards and to be recognised, they did it to make a difference so they are genuinely moved by the fact that someone has acknowledged their efforts.”

And he says “inspiration is the word” when speaking about events like our Community Champion awards.

Bryan added: “We are all products of our communities, all the experiences you have when you have grown up are what make you the person you are later in life.

“I wouldn’t be doing the job I am doing had it not been for a really inspiring teacher at school who went out of his way to make sure that we all had a bit of self belief and that the kind of life that you dreamed about actually could be yours.”

Despite taking time to read each nomination – from champion teachers to young entrepreneurs – prior to the event, Bryan expects the night will still be an emotional one.

He said: “No matter how many times you hear the stories, no matter how many times you run through, you still get emotional on the night, especially when that person comes up on stage and is just shocked to have won an award and stands up on the stage and has a room full of people applaud them for what they’ve done.

“That’s just a lovely thing to witness and be part of. I suspect there may be a wee greet at some point in the night.

“I look forward to hearing the stories behind the nominations, finding out why people have been nominated. “Overall for me I am looking forward to a celebration, this is a proper cause for celebration, to give people who have not come into this looking for thanks a showcase, to put the showcase on them.”

The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns meant we had to mothball this fantastic showcase of our area and its people, but we can’t wait to welcome all our local heroes back – in person – to thank and reward them for all they do.

Bryan concluded: “I think one of the things we have all learned from the pandemic is a reliance on other people.

“That warmth, that realisation that when you take away all the things we weren’t allowed to do all we’re left with are people and the good things they are doing.”

Community Champions Awards night will take place at the Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline, on Thursday, June 15. Tickets to the event are available here.