Two Inverness sisters have been received honours in a national awards scheme that heralds inspirational people who work with children.
Jenna and Louise Clark’s work has been honoured at the What’s On 4 2016 junior awards in London.
The event celebrates the sterling work carried out by volunteers involved with a wide range of classes, activities and venues across the UK.
And the candidates are nominated and voted for by “the experts” – parents and parents-to-be.
Jenna won the top honour in the national category: “Most outstanding activity leader for the over fives.”
The event, which is organised by Insure with Max and Chessington World of Adventures and backed by babyworld.co.uk, is now in its 10th year and the number of participants is rising all the time.
Louise Clark of Physi-ball was acclaimed as the “Most outstanding activity leader for the under fives” for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The programme, Enjoy-a-ball, was runner-up in “best national activity for children aged 5-12” while Physi-ball was in the top six of the category “best national pre-schooler development activity.”
Jenna said: “We are both over the moon to be recognised nationally, because we just love what we do.
“We felt the pressure sitting with so many amazing people down in London, but we were both completely delighted, more for each other, when we won our categories.
Louise added: “We don’t really have sibling rivalry. A sister is your first best friend in life and we are just incredibly lucky to still be best friends.”
The duo’s natural skills impressed the judges in a record-breaking year for the junior awards event.
There were more than 112,000 votes from people across the UK, Ireland and Australia.
The awards cover 22 different categories ranging from “best pre/post natal activity” to “most outstanding community group volunteer for children.”
Physi-ball is a sports coaching programme for children who are aged between 18 months and three years old.
Enjoy-a-ball is for children aged between three and nine years, and teaches the basics of 10 ball sports including hockey, volleyball, tennis and basketball.
Parents and parents-to-be logged onto the web to vote for their favourite clubs, groups, classes and party entertainers from all of the nominees who qualified.
The winners of the awards were announced at a ceremony at Chessington World of Adventures.
Every children’s activity, class, volunteer and party supplier in the country had the chance to be nominated.
According to the organisers, this ensured the awards were “a true representation of the commitment of the UK’s parents and carers to recognise and reward the very best.”
Marilyn Bradshaw of What’s On 4 UK said: “Even after a huge awards programme last year, 2016 has seen our biggest and most exciting awards to date.
“We received a record number of votes and all of our finalists should be very proud to be held in such high esteem by the nation’s parents.”