The historic Strathpeffer Pavilion was the venue last night (Wednesday 29 October) for the 2025 High Life Highland i-care awards with over 90 people attending to celebrate the many ways in which staff and volunteers are Making Life Better for residents and visitors across the Highlands.
Hosted by STV’s Nicola McAlley and with musical entertainment from High Life Highland’s music tuition service – including Highland Young Musicians Innes Wilson and Finlay James from Skye – the evening saw awards presented to outstanding employees, inspiring young people and inspirational volunteers.
Chair of the High Life Highland Board, Michael Golding said: “This annual event is a wonderful way to celebrate our staff and volunteers and all the fantastic work they do day in day out.
“The response to our plea for nominations across the different categories was quite overwhelming – and all very well deserved. It was extremely difficult to narrow the nominations down to a shortlist, so as well as congratulating all our 2025 winners, I would also like to congratulate and thank everyone who received a nomination. 
“Our staff at High Life Highland are doing such a great job across all our services – and we thank them all for their dedication.”
Michael Golding presented the final award of the night – the High Life Highland Charity Chair Award, sponsored by McCallum Bagpipes – to Bryan Stevens from Inverness for almost two decades worth of volunteering with the Active Schools team. Bryan delivers basketball sessions to over 40 children on a weekly basis as well as organising tournaments and summer activities. Bryan – a wheelchair user – is described as a brilliant advocate for sport and physical activity, whatever a person’s ability. 
Speaking afterwards, Bryan said: “I was very shocked and surprised to win this award. I never got the opportunity to do sports when I was growing up so that is my driving force behind my volunteering – it’s so important to me that everyone gets the chance to play sports and be part of a team and I just love giving back.”
Other winners at the 2025 High Life Highland i-care awards:
- Outstanding Employee of the Year, sponsored by Aqua Leisure, was awarded to Alan Gray (Ardnamurchan Active Schools) for his dedication to delivering a vast array of opportunities for young people to take part in physical activity.
- High Performing Team of the Year, sponsored by Zoggs, was won by the High Life Highland Schools Out Programme Launch Team for the delivery of a successful programme launch earlier this year. Smoothly executed, it resulted in over 13,000 tickets sold within the first 24 hours.
- Star Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by Askews & Holts Library Services, was won by Kevin Williamson from Inverness for being a dedicated football coach at Holm Primary School, where as well as coaching young footballers, he also mentors young leaders.
- Inspiring Young Leader of the Year, sponsored by Stagecoach, was presented to Scott MacKay from Smithton, Inverness for his thousands of hours of volunteering with High Life Highland Active Schools, the Culloden Youth Group and the Highland Hospice.
- People’s Choice Award, also sponsored by Stagecoach, was won by Steve Jones from Tain Royal Academy Community Complex and Golspie Leisure Centre. Steve is described by customers as being an encouraging and motivational activities instructor, inspiring people to be the best they can be.
- The Highland Council Collaboration Award, sponsored by Haydock Music Ltd was won by Anna Holda of the Adult Learning Team at The Highland Council. Anna and her team have received plaudits for their valuable work in integrating refugees into the community, working with various High Life Highland services in doing so.
- High Life Highland Trading Company Chair Award, sponsored by Dynam, was presented to Pam Allan of the Torrin Bunkhouse on Skye for her dedication and hard work to ensure that guests are provided with a home from home during their stay. As a result, the annual turnover for the Bunkhouse has doubled.
Steve Walsh, High Life Highland Chief Executive added: “Very many congratulations to all our winners and nominees – they are all making life better every day for people and visitors across the Highlands. An enormous thank you to all our sponsors for their generous support – allowing us to celebrate our staff and volunteers at such a special event.
“Our brilliant staff – along with our many effective and valued partnerships – are crucial to our success here at High Life Highland.”
The High Life Highland 2025 i-care Awards are fully funded as a result of sponsorship from: Technogym; MacGregor Industrial Supplies; Mather & Co; Gladstone and Morrison Construction as well as the category sponsors listed above.
Images by Paul Campbell
