Radio Forth’s twelfth annual star studded awards ceremony took place yesterday (Thursday 19th November) in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall with hosts Grant Stott and Arlene Stuart welcoming musical legends such as Travis, Paul Heatton and Jaqui Abbott as well as some of music’s freshest new acts such as Charlie Puth and Hometown to the stage.
American singer songwriter Charlie Puth, famous for his recent collaboration with Meghan Trainor – Marvin Gaye , opened the show to rapturous applause, before being presented with the prestigious Forth Best Artist Award by Forth 1’s Big Saturday Show presenters Boogie and Dingo. Craig Hill then took to the stage to present the Forth Best Bar Award to Edinburgh’s The Boozy Cow.
The afternoon of entertainment continued with a performance from Irish boy band, Hometown, before Paul Fleming from Kinneal Primary, Falkirk was presented with the Forth Best Teacher Award, recognition for his enthusiastic promotion of the school’s core values of ‘RESPECT’ and his ‘CAN DO’ attitude at all times.
Stephen K Amos then picked up the Forth Fringe Award before performing a short stand up set to the enthralled Usher Hall audience.
Next to receive an award was the inspirational, Lynne McNicoll who received The Forth Cash for Kids Award for her tireless dedication to children with cancer and their families. Sadly, Lynne McNicoll now has her own cancer to battle. 
The 58-year-old who is co-founder of the charity its Good 2 Give – whose patrons include Dr Who star Peter Capaldi and Olympic medallist Lynsey Sharp – has been diagnosed with breast cancer herself but continues to carry out her amazing fundraising work.
As the jam packed afternoon continued the crowd were treated to performances from the Forth Best Performance Award winner, Stevie McCrorie and sensational Australian circus performers, CIRCA – who will be performing this year as part of the spectacular Edinburgh’s Christmas festivities.
Forth 1 presenter Knoxy then bestowed the legendary Travis with the Forth Icon Award before band mates Fran Healy and Andy Dunlop took to the stage to perform to the delighted Usher Hall crowd.
One of the final awards of the day was the Forth Local Hero Award, picked up by Alison Barr on behalf of her son Jak Trueman who tragically passed away in February of this year. In the summer of 2014 Jak was diagnosed with gamma delta T-cell lymphoma – an extremely rare form of cancer. Throughout his illness Jak demonstrated a remarkable strength and positivity and although he knew that he had very little time left, rather than dwell on his own situation Jak showed extraordinary courage and selflessness by throwing himself into an ambitious fundraising drive which generated an astonishing £60,000 for leukaemia and lymphoma charities in a space of only four weeks. His desire to create a positive legacy grew and Jak began to plan an even more ambitious project while still in hospital – a project designed to help others for years to come. He gave his mum Allison the task of seeing it through after he’d gone and the funds raised currently amount to a fantastic £125,000.
Finally, closing the show were Forth Contribution to Music Award winners Paul Heaton and Jaqui Abbott.
