Community Award Winners 2025 are Colin Blackwood (Individual Award) and Burntisland and Kinghorn Foodbank SCIO (Group / Team Award)

Individual Community Award Winner Colin Blackwood: Over the last few years Colin has revitalised the Junior section of our local golf club (Burntisland Golf House Club). It now has a burgeoing membership. This is testament to Colin's hard work. As well as attending coaching sessions, organising local competitions and tournaments with other junior clubs, and keeping parents updated with social media posts, he tries hard to ensure that golf is accessible to all local local youngsters and is a fun and safe activity. He was described as “a modest man who is kind and good with young people, and volunteers because he believes opportunities to golf should be available to everyone.” Burntisland has a long tradition of golf. From its early days on the Links, to the founding of the 10th oldest golf club in the world, to the current beautiful course at Dodhead with its welcoming clubhouse, we are pleased that golf remains accessible to most people locally. Congratulations to Colin for helping support our young people to enjoy this sport in Burntisland, Fife - 'the home of golf.'

Group / Team Community Award Winners Burntisland and Kinghorn Foodbank SCIO: When in January 2024 Kirkcaldy Foodbank made the difficult decision that it no longer had the resources to support Burntisland Foodbank, our local community rallied to the rescue. Volunteers and donors were recruited and the group rapidly organised everything required to ensure that service users suffered no gap in this vital service. Our Foodbank continues to operate on Tuesdays and Fridays at the salvation Army Hall in Lonsdale Crescent. This remarkable achievement in only a few months deserves our recognition. Of course, our Foodbank needs the continued support of its community. If you would like to add your support as a volunteer, or make a one-off or regular donation, please see their website: https://bkfoodbank.org.uk

The Awards were presented by Gemma Craigie-Sharland and Jim Sheridan on behalf of the Community Council at a reception at Burntisland Burgh Chambers on 18th February 2025.

Community Awards 2024

The Individual award 2024 goes to Tom Courts, who showed faith and confidence in Burntisland by returning a top-quality, award-winning butcher’s shop to our High Street. Many other new shops have since opened, giving us one of the most vibrant and successful High Streets in Fife. Tom’s generosity of spirit and action are well-known. He has expertly blended his personal and professional skills to demonstrate what it means to be a successful business person and also a key member of our local community. Many organisations and individuals have first-hand experience of his kindness and his spontaneous support for our collective well-being.

The Group award 2024 goes to the volunteers of the Big Green Market. In a very short space of time, the BGM has become a key point in all of our diaries at the start of every month. However, it’s not just about fund-raising, though many local causes have benefited hugely from the market’s success. It’s also about the best principles of recycling and bringing volunteers together to work as a team for the greater good of all. It was an inspired idea which might have been very ordinary, but the enthusiasm and dedication of those who prepare, deliver and refresh the market each month show a dedication to our community which is simply outstanding.

The award presentations were made at a reception at the Burgh Chambers on 22nd January at 7pm and attended by the Award Winners, friends and family, and Community Council volunteers - about 40 people in all. Congratulations to Tom and all at the BGM! May 2024 be a good year for you all.

Community Award 2023:

We are pleased to confirm that, for the first time, the Community Council have decided to confer the Burntisland Community Award in all three of the available categories.

The Individual Winner 2023 was Bill Kirkhope, recently-retired editor of the Burgh Buzz. Under his leadership the Burgh Buzz went from strength to strength in both quality and scale. Always polite, informative and robust, the Burgh Buzz will continue under its new and strong editorial team, helping to keep local people abreast of everything that matters for Burntisland.

The Group Winner 2023 was Central Burntisland Tenants and Residents Association (CBTRA). CBTRA has consistently gone above and beyond the interests of their members, helping to ensure that the town centre is active, well-managed and safe for all. This year, CBTRA took on the extra responsibility of distributing food parcels throughout our community, all on a voluntary basis, thereby demonstrating the highest ideals of our community.

The Young Person Winner 2023 was Joana Barron. She is at the forefront of voluntary service, whether at the foodbank or helping the very young Beavers to learn important life skills. She is also a very active first responder with Burntisland First Aid Services Trust. In that capacity she has been on the spot numerous times, looking after people who have had fractures, dislocations or seizures, or who need to be looked after for a few hours at a time. 

Community Award winners 2022: For 2022 we chose two winners: Burntisland and District Pipe Band were the Group and overall winners, and Luke Drummond was the Individual Citizen winner!

Instead of reverting to one individual citizen Community Award for 2022, we decided to consider nominations under three separate categories: Individual Citizen, Group/Team, or Young Person (under 25).

This follows on from our 2021 Community Award. In the face of the Covid Pandemic, we decided for that year, to make the Community Award a Team or Group award, instead of an individual community award. The Community Award for 2021 was won by BEAT. Burntisland Emergency Action Team (BEAT) - was a collaboration between Burntisland Community Council and the Toll Community Centre (TCC). After the pandemic lockdown, BEAT continued to function under the TCC umbrella until late 2022.

Public statement for 2022 winners:

It’s the first time since 1981 that we have made two distinct awards – one for a group and one for an individual – and both are richly deserved.

The pipe band have shown imagination and creativity ever since the first lockdown. The younger members switched very successfully to online tutoring, competitions and practice – whilst they took every opportunity to entertain local people who were vulnerable or housebound. More recently, the pipe band brought a level of dignity and occasion to Remembrance Sunday, at a time when the various restrictions severely compromised the normal format. We’re also pleased to see their pipers leading the throng when it’s important to demonstrate the unanimity of the community – such as the recent march to the East Dock.

Luke’s contribution was very different. He responded superbly to numerous requests for help from individuals and organisation in the town who were in need of deliveries or repairs following storm damage. In his day job he is self-employed in recycling, removals and property maintenance. He applied those skills voluntarily to help the Toll Community Centre to get food supplies where they were most needed and his efforts were hugely appreciated. That selfless and generous spirit was entirely spontaneous and is something that we commend as an example to others.

The award normally takes the form of a certificate which is presented at a reception in the Burgh Chambers, in the presence of the friends and families of the winners. However, we’re still not at the stage where we can resume that kind of activity. Nevertheless, we will find a way of presenting the awards so that the winners’ achievements can be publicly recognised.

Alex MacDonald, Chairman, Royal Burgh of Burntisland Community Council