Unsung heroes honoured by celebrities at glittering Pride of Scotland Awards
Glasgow rolled out the red carpet this evening to celebrate Scotland 's remarkable unsung heroes with a touch of showbiz sparkle. A constellation of celebs from music, sports, and television world including Deputy First Minister John Swinney assembled at Glasgow Hilton to toast to our inspiring Pride of Scotland Award recipients.
Love Island breakout star Paige Turley was spotted looking stunning as she and Saint Phnx frontman Stevie Jukes took on interviewing duties, catching a moment with the glamorous attendees as they arrived.
Paige, who shone in her sparkly black sequin dress, expressed: "This is my absolutely favourite night of the year as the awards shine a light on people who have been doing so much for others but never seek any recognition."
She further revealed her excitement about the event saying: "As a judge I already know the winners' stories so meeting them in person is just brilliant. I love seeing their faces when the celebs come up and ask them for selfies.", reports the Daily Record.
Stevie, equally dashing in his velvet jacket and dickie bow, commented: "The Pride of Scotland Awards are massive and the number of big names who turn out to celebrate our nation's most inspiring people is phenomenal."
He then reflected on the true stars of the night stating: "But what the unsung heroes don't realise until they arrive at the awards is that they are the ones who leave the celebrities starstruck because their selfless achievements are far greater."
The ceremony saw the likes of host Elaine C Smith, Scottish Gladiator Sheli McCoy – known as Sabre, cherished singer Susan Boyle, Eastenders icon Laurie Brett, Strictly sensation Dr Punam Krishan, Love Island's Laura Anderson, and TV personalities Amy Irons and Jean Johansson lighting up the venue with their presence.
Hollywood heavyweight Brian Cox, Star Wars icon Denis Lawson, Game of Thrones veteran James Cosmo, football stars Billy Gilmour and Jack Butland, telly host Sanjeev Kohli, funnyman Al Murray, and DJ George Bowie donned their finest for the glitziest bash of the year – yet it was the unsung heroes who truly stole the show at the Pride of Scotland Awards, in partnership with P&O Cruises.
The ceremony honoured 12 remarkable individuals across eight categories, celebrating everything from extraordinary acts of courage to phenomenal charity fundraising efforts.
One of the loudest ovations of the evening was for Young Fundraiser Theo Hardie, aged seven, who embarked on a 100-mile run to fund his brother Jude's wheelchair.
Theo was over the moon receiving his accolade from his idols, Rangers' goalkeeper Jack Butland and Sheli McCoy, better known as Sabre the Gladiator.
Sheli expressed her admiration: "I was blown away by the love Theo has for his little brother and seeing them together just melted my heart. The bond they have is incredible."
Special Recognition awardees Asiyah and Jawad Javed were thrilled to rub shoulders with Succession star Brian Cox, who commended the couple for their invaluable community service. Brian praised their efforts, saying: "What an amazing display of community spirit."
Stewart Miller, who won the Outstanding Bravery award for his daring rescue of a woman from the River Tay during a deadly storm, was presented his trophy by his favourite comedian, Al Murray.
His loyal pooch Troy, who sounded the alarm over a woman in danger, was honoured with a special bravery dog tag. Al stated: "Stewart is such a worthy winner - jumping to the rescue without any regard for his own safety and if Troy hadn't been there he might not have noticed her plight."
Dunfermline shop workers Bob Bell, Cheryl Gourlay, Aisha and Usman Javid, who confronted an armed robber, shared giggles on stage with the cast of BBC's popular show Scots Squad.
Napoli and Scotland football ace Billy Gilmour gave Teenager of Courage Georgie Hyslop, 16, a fantastic surprise, acknowledging her efforts to raise more than £51,000 for charity amidst her personal battle with cancer.
Billy, touted as one of Scotland's finest on the pitch, commented: "Georgie is an inspiration. Such a strong and selfless person who always puts others before herself."
A joyous highlight of the evening came when the Ups and Downs – winners of the PandO Cruises Inspiration Award – gave a stirring rendition of 'This is Me' from The Greatest Showman.
The drama group for youngsters with Down's Syndrome and their siblings leapt up in exhilaration as they received their honour from Strictly's Dr Punam Krishan, crooner Nathan Evans, and Corrie's Liam Bairstow.
Nathan remarked: "The Ups and Downs were amazing. When they sang everyone in the room got goosebumps. They are pure joy to watch. I had a lump in my throat."
Laura Young, dubbed the "Vape Crusader" for her pivotal role in advocating for a ban on the sale of disposable vapes in Scotland, was celebrated with a Special Recognition award.
Coastguard winch paramedic Norman Macleod, who heroically descended onto a ship amidst storms to aid two severely injured sailors, was thrilled to be honoured by JJ Chalmers. The Invictus Games and Strictly Come Dancing celebrity expressed his admiration, saying: "I'm in awe of Norman's composure under pressure."
King's Trust Young Achievers Ashleigh Lancaster, 28, battling past domestic abuse to educate front line workers on mental health, and Shane Lee, 26, an autistic individual who landed his dream role at Marks & Spencer, received well-deserved accolades.
Ashleigh's support dog Blu was recognised with a special tag, becoming the second canine to receive such an honour. Jean Johansson delivered a heartfelt homage to the Speirs family, Special Recognition awardees, who have created a network of holiday homes and flats in their son Calum's memory, aiding over 3000 families of children with cancer.
The A Place in the Sun host praised the family's remarkable achievements, stating: "This incredible family has achieved so much in memory of the wonderful Calum."
One of the evening's most touching tributes came from Lorraine Kelly, who honoured Scotland's Champion Sir Chris Hoy via video link, remarking: "Chris is a giant of a man both in and out of the saddle. Speaking out about his cancer diagnosis has already saved lives."
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Daily Mail
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Are my two Star Wars Jawa figures from 1978 worth £60,000? DAN HATFIELD replies
I have two Star Wars Jawa figures from 1978. I've had them in my cupboards at home for years and it wasn't until recently that I saw headlines that informed me figures like mine were going for a fortune. Some were sold for £20,000 others seemed to be sold for nearly £30,000. What do you reckon mine are worth? SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET YOUR MODERN TREASURE VALUED BY DAN Dan Hatfield, This is Money's expert valuer, replies: In a galaxy far, far away…specifically, a toy shop in Cheltenham - which, granted, might not be the Outer Rim, but does often feel a little like Tatooine. That's where our story begins. Not in space. Not in a rebel base. But somewhere between the Scalextric aisle and a display of Airfix glue that definitely wasn't age appropriate. It's 1978. Star Wars fever is sweeping the UK, and a child walks out with not one but two small plastic Jawa figures. When Star Wars first hit British cinemas in 1977, nobody, not even George Lucas himself, could have predicted what was coming. The special effects were groundbreaking, the storytelling was classic good vs evil, and Alec Guinness was probably wondering what on earth he'd signed up for. But the real genius wasn't just in the film. It was in the merchandise. Here's where it gets interesting. The film studios thought the toy rights were a sideshow, or as we would call it today a side hustle. Lucas disagreed. He kept them. And what followed was a marketing supernova. It wasn't just a movie anymore, it was a lifestyle, a universe almost as big as the one portrayed in the films was being created in toy form. Children didn't just watch Star Wars; they recreated it, relived it, expanded it in living rooms and school playgrounds across the globe. Sale figures were astronomical. For example between 1977 and 1978, Kenner, the American producer of the toys, sold over 40million action figures, generating around $100million, a staggering return on their modest initial investment of about $100,000. Fast-forward 35 years, and Star Wars toys had generated around $12billion in total retail revenue, with current annual sales estimated at $2–3billion Star Wars merchandise overall, including toys, books, games, and collectibles, has brought in a colossal $29billion contributing to a total franchise revenue exceeding $46billion. Now let's talk about the little robed fellow himself. The Jawa, in cinematic terms, isn't exactly central to the Star Wars saga. He gets little screen time and is seen scuttling around the desert in a giant metal sandcrawler, kidnapping droids and muttering in a language that sounds like someone dropped a toaster in a bath. He doesn't get a backstory, a lightsaber, or even a proper name. On paper, he's background noise. But in the toy world there is a certain incarnation of him that makes him one of the rarest and most sought after toys ever known to man. In the UK, Star Wars toys weren't made by Kenner, they were licensed to Palitoy, a long established and well respected British toy company. Palitoy had already brought us Action Man and the talking Dalek, so they knew their way around a toy line. Their Star Wars figures were nearly identical to the American versions but with subtle differences in packaging, materials, and manufacturing. Differences that, decades later, would send collectors into hysterics. One such item was the Jawas that you suggest you have. With their vinyl cape they are very rare indeed. So why the vinyl cape in the first place? Palitoy wanted to save as much money as possible when creating their toys. To make the Jawa feel more 'substantial' without spending more dosh, they cut a corner: instead of giving him a proper fabric robe, they wrapped him in a vinyl cape — basically a sheet of plastic with arm holes. It looked vaguely cloak like, and crucially, it was far cheaper to produce than sewing tiny cloth garments. But the illusion didn't quite work. Next to other figures with soft goods capes, the vinyl looked stiff, cheap The toy didn't feel 'premium' enough to justify the price. Additionally there were concerns of the vinyl posing as a choking risk. Hardly any of these toys made their way to shops before they were pulled, no announcement, no reissue, just a quiet pivot that most kids didn't notice at the time. In their place, a Jawa with a cloth cape appeared. How rare are Star Wars Jawa toys? Bearing all this in mind just how rare are these little figures? Well actually extremely rare indeed. Estimates vary, but it's believed only a few hundred Palitoy vinyl-caped Jawas were ever made. Fewer still survive. Some collectors suggest there may be fewer than 30 carded examples known to exist worldwide today — and even fewer in original, sealed condition. Loose versions are slightly more common, but the cape is notoriously fragile and often went missing within weeks of being opened. So when a Palitoy vinyl-caped Jawa turns up, especially one with its original card, bubble, or even just the cape still intact. collectors pay attention. Amazingly, you have two of them. Honestly, when I first read your email, I assumed it was a hoax. I thought, 'No one just stumbles across two vinyl-caped Jawas.' But I poured over the photos, studied the cards they come with, carefully examined the waffle like texture on the inside of the capes, and, after some very satisfying detective work, I had to conclude, quite happily, that you do indeed own two of the rarest toys ever produced. How fortune smiled on you that day in Cheltenham. You, fists full of coins, marching into a toy shop with all the excitement a small child could muster, and walking out with a character so obscure he barely registered on screen. And yet, here he is: a little plastic Jawa. Now, before we crack open the champagne let's take a breath. How much are the toys worth? I've seen from your photos that the packaging has been opened. The figures you've seen selling for eye watering prices at auction £20,000 even £30,000, are ones that remain sealed, untouched, time capsules. Please don't berate yourself. What child in 1978 would have thought to keep a toy in its packaging? (Well, I might have, but I was an odd on, I was born a collector, even if I didn't know it yet.) You, on the other hand, did exactly what you were supposed to do. You played with your Jawa. You enjoyed it. You gave it the life it was intended to have. Although, to be fair, if you hadn't, you might be looking at an extra £60,000 in the bank right about now. Also, you've misplaced the blaster that originally came with it, which, unfortunately, doesn't help your case either. So, with all of that in mind, just how much are your two Jawas worth? Taking into account the opened packaging, the missing weapons, and general condition, I'd value each one at somewhere between £1,000 and £1,500. That gives you a potential combined windfall of around £3,000 , which, for two tiny plastic scavengers, is still pretty astronomical. Now, I know you might be feeling a little disappointed. Actually, scratch that, probably very disappointed. You've seen the headlines: 'Rare Star Wars figure sells for £30,000!' And here I am telling you it's worth a fraction of that. But let's put it in perspective: according to the original price sticker still proudly clinging to the card, you paid 99p. So that's a return of roughly 150,000 per cent. You may not be retiring to a private island in the Outer Rim just yet, but you can take satisfaction in the fact that a dusty old toy from a Cheltenham childhood has earned you a tidy little sum, and a great story to tell Send in your Modern Treasures Dan Hatfield is This Morning's money-making expert and resident pawnbroker. He is an international specialist in antiques, jewellery, diamonds and collectibles. Dan's first non-fiction book, Money Maker: Unlock Your Money Making Potential is available now. This is Money's Modern Treasures column is after your items and collections for valuations. Please send in as much information as possible, including photographs, to: editor@ with the email subject line: Modern Treasures We're after post-War items only please and we may contact you for further information. Dan will do his best to reply to your message in his bi-weekly column, but he won't be able to answer everyone or correspond privately with readers. 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