THE finalists in the first All About Barrhead Awards have been unveiled, with 35 groups and individuals shortlisted across seven categories.

Sponsored by the Barrhead News, the awards celebrate the inspiring work taking place right across town.

And event organisers at business improvement organisation All About Barrhead are thrilled by the response, with tickets for the event now completely sold out.

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Andy Dunlop, manager at All About Barrhead, said: “We’ve always known that Barrhead is a town full of people who do immense work for their community.

“We are delighted to be able to stage an evening that will give them the recognition they deserve.”

All About Barrhead is the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) organisation, with various traders paying a levy for the right to vote to invest collectively in local improvements.

The aim is to generate an improved business environment and boost the area’s economic growth.

The All About Barrhead Awards ceremony, which takes place at the newly-refurbished Dalmeny Park House Hotel on Friday, May 31, will be an opportunity to chart the progress made over the past year.

Paul Santi, BID chairman, said: “Barrhead is an amazing community, with so much great work going on to make the town feel extra special.

“It was about time this work was rewarded and that’s why the Business Improvement District decided to start shouting about all of the good things the individuals, groups and businesses do that sometimes might go unnoticed.”

There are five finalists in the headline award, Barrhead Star, which honours those who have made the biggest difference to the local community.

In the running for this prize are Rita Connelly and Janette Hughes, both of Auchenback Active; Jim McGauley, of Barrhead Foodbank; Paul McIlvenny, of the Include Me 2 Club; and Annemarie Strain, of community drama group In Cahootz.

Battling it out for the title of Employee of the Year are Fiona Fulton, from Barrhead’s Catherine Rose cafe; John Gailley, of ScotRail; Kirsty Lafferty, of Country Feeds; Archie McIntyre, of The Brig Inn; and Lynne Forrester, of Lloyds Pharmacy.

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The five contenders in the Barrhead Innovator of the Year category are Auchenback Active, F&M Hairdressing, The Greenhouse Cafe, Levern Valley Defibrillator Community Partnership and Pioneer Mutual Credit Union.

Going for glory in the Impact in the Community category are the 3rd Barrhead & District Pipe Band, Barrhead Boxing Club, Barrhead Housing Association, Helping Hand G78 and the Include Me 2 Club.

The Customer Excellence award will go to either Bluestone Gift Shop, Café 136, Davie the Barbers, F&M Hairdressing or Planet Play.

Erin Brown, Lauren Cosgrove, Niamh Junner, Marissa Roxburgh and Emily Wilson have been shortlisted for the Young Person of the Year title.

And the seventh award is for Family Business of the Year, which will go to either Bickets, Catherine Rose, Country Feeds, D Moodie & Co. Funeral Directors or McCabe Opticians.