Matthew McVarish from Lanarkshire has been named Charity Champion at the Scottish Charity Awards
Matthew McVarish from Lanarkshire has been named Charity Champion at the 2015 Scottish Charity Awards.
Matthew, age 32, was honoured for his dedication to ending the silence around child sexual abuse.
In the last year he has been working in partnership with the Moira Anderson Foundation, an Airdrie-based charity which supports people affected by childhood sexual abuse.
Among other feats he has walked 10,000 miles around Europe, raising awareness of child sexual abuse among millions of people.
He was invited by the Council of Europe to give advice on legislative reform across 47 countries, discussing the issue with many world leaders and was blessed by Pope Francis.
Winning this award makes me proud to be Scottish, as it confirms that we are ready to discuss the problem that most don't want to talk about
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also said she was “in awe” of his passion to protect others and of his ability to lobby politicians at the highest level.
Speaking about his award, Matthew said: “In many countries, those who speak out against the sexual abuse of children are ignored but here we celebrate them.
“Winning this award makes me proud to be Scottish, as it confirms that we are a nation who are ready to discuss the problem that most don't want to talk about. It's why we're called Scotland the brave.”
The Scottish Charity Awards, in their ninth year, were held in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on Thursday night.
Organised by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the awards bring together several charities and volunteers from across the country to recognise their contribution to life in Scotland.
Other winners on the night included MND Scotland, Beith Community Development Trust, Prostate Cancer UK and the Scottish Huntington’s Association.
Shulah Allan, convener, of SCVO, said: “This year’s finalists and winners work tirelessly to support vulnerable people in our communities and to raise awareness of important causes. They really have earned this acclaim.”
