Proud Scotland Award for Revd Amy Jo Philip

June is Pride Month. On Saturday 30 May, Revd Amy Jo Philip, a priest in the Diocese of Edinburgh, received the Volunteer of the Year Award in the Proud Scotland Awards. We asked her to tell us about the award and the event.

“The Proud Scotland Awards celebrate those who champion diversity and inclusion throughout Scotland by recognising the outstanding work and commitment of individuals and organisations within and supportive of the LGBTQI+ community in Scotland. The awards, which have been running for seven years, honour and encourage all, north to south, who stand up for diversity, equality and inclusion. 

“The awards ceremony and dinner was held at the Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow and hosted by Zander Murray and Peter D. Ferguson. The judges were Stuart McPhail, John Stuart, the singer Horse McDonald, Louise Bailey, footballer Zander Murray, Kasey Monroe and Brett Herriot, chair of Pride Edinburgh. The atmosphere was full of joy and encouragement for each other. 

“This year, there were 19 awards (plus the Hall of Fame Award, which went to the comedian Karen Dunbar). There were more than 800 nominations, which were whittled down to around 120 finalists. Volunteer of the Year is awarded to “an individual who selflessly gives their time and energy behind the scenes supporting the LGBTQI+ community.” I still have no idea who nominated me and I only found out about the nomination when someone congratulated me on being a finalist! I assume, especially because I was listed as “Rev”, that it was for Quirk!

Honestly, I was amazed to have been nominated and astonished to win. Astonished too by the roar that erupted when my name was read out and all the friends and colleagues telling me it’s well deserved.

“Honestly, I was amazed to have been nominated and astonished to win. Astonished too by the roar that erupted when my name was read out and all the friends and colleagues telling me it’s well deserved. But it is hugely encouraging and underlines the value of what we do at Quirk! Everyone at our table who we told about the group expressed how important it was that we’ve created such a space and some people even said they would love to come. Folk from Lochaber Pride talked about how much it had meant to them that a local church had supported their event.

Folk from Lochaber Pride talked about how much it had meant to them that a local church had supported their event.

“I was also delighted for Ritchie Currie-Jenkins, who set up the Rainbow Warriors football group at Stenhousemuir FC Community Foundation, which won the Sports & Recreation Award. His passion for giving trans people in particular, and the wider LGBTQ+ community, a safe space to enjoy football is infectious, even for someone like me who’s not really a footie fan.”

Joining Pride Edinburgh

Pride Edinburgh, the longest-running free celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in Scotland, is on Saturday 20 June. Amy Jo says:

“There will be Piskies marching at Pride Edinburgh on 20 June. Some of us will join the ecumenical Pride breakfast at Augustine United Church on George IV Bridge at 9.30am before setting off together towards the march at 11.15 am. Anyone who would like to join us, please contact me on theambulancebox@gmail.com

For more on the Proud Scotland Awards 2026, visit their web page.

For more on Pride Edinburgh, visit their website.

For more details on Quirk!, visit the Quirk! Facebook page, or read our article from February 2025.