The prestigious national 2025 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration were launched today (05/06/25) at a special online event.

The event, attended by 60 guests, included specially recorded messages from previous SURF Award Winners; St Paul’s Youth Forum, Govan HELP, Narture CIC, Hebridean Housing Partnership and WorkingRite; and the formal opening of the Awards for applications.

The SURF Awards are delivered each year by SURF, a regeneration forum with over 300 cross-sector member organisations across Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish Government. The purpose is to highlight, celebrate and share the achievements of initiatives that address physical, social and economic challenges in communities across Scotland.

This year’s five thematic categories include; Removing Barriers to Employability, Creative Regeneration sponsored by Creative Scotland, Community Led Regeneration sponsored jointly by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise, Improving Scotland’s Places sponsored by Scotland’s Towns Partnership, and finally an award for Housing and Regeneration sponsored by the Scottish Procurement Alliance.

The winners of the 2025 Awards will be announced by a leading Scottish Government Minister at a celebratory dinner event on the 4th December.

The timescale for the 2025 SURF Awards is as follows:

  • Thursday 5th June – launch of Awards
  • Monday 1st September – close of application period
  • Mid-Sept – Shortlisting by 20 independent judges
  • Late Sept-Oct – Visits and assessment period by judges
  • Thursday 4th December – SURF Awards Presentation Dinner

Employment and Investment Minister Tom Arthur said: “The SURF Awards is a valuable platform to recognise and celebrate outstanding examples of community-led regeneration across Scotland, showcasing projects which inspire others and demonstrate what is possible. 

Regeneration and strengthening communities is key to the Scottish Government’s priorities of growing the economy, eradicating child poverty, improving public services and tackling the climate emergency, which is why we’re supporting our most disadvantaged communities with regeneration investment of £62.5 million this year. 

I look forward to hearing about this year’s entries and wish them all the best.”

Brian MacDonald, SURF Chair said: “The last year has proved challenging for organisations across Scotland as the various financial restrictions begin to have their effect. SURF recognises the impact this has and yet, organisations continue to strive, despite the pressures, to deliver for their communities. Over the past 27 years we have sought to highlight the many and varied exciting projects across Scotland and this year is no different.

Our 2025 Awards will, I’m sure, highlight all that is best in Scottish community regeneration and will provide inspiration for us all. I hope that you will want to participate and look forward to hearing about your project.”

 Emma Scott, Events, Information and Communication Manager at SURF said: “SURF is delighted to launch the annual SURF Awards process for the 27th year. We look forward to receiving applications and finding out more about the extraordinary work taking place in communities throughout the country.“

To find out more about the 2025 SURF Awards and to download the materials, please visit: https://surf.scot/surf-awards/surf-awards-2025/