After her friend Chanel Alexander, who she had known for 10 years, passed away due to diabetes in 2012, Alloa woman Vicky Brown decided to do something in her memory.

The agony of losing someone so special to her had a profound effect on Vicky, and she decided the best way to respond was to raise money for sufferers of the illness and their friends, through charity Diabetes UK.

She explained: “Diabetes UK is so important to me because it is a charity extremely close to my heart. After my best friend who had type 1 diabetes passed away at the very young age of 25, I had to overcome a bereavement which itself was extremely difficult. I had to go through my own personal battle, Chanel was like a sister to me, I miss her dearly.

“So, to do so I took a negative situation and turned it into a positive through fundraising for Diabetes UK - something of which I know my friend Chanel would be extremely proud of, as she herself done a lot for volunteering/ raising awareness for diabetes.” Vicky was surprised to have been selected as a finalist, feels proud to be acknowledged for doing something that genuinely makes her happy and will continue to fundraise to help make “even a small difference to others living with the condition”.

She explained: “I could not believe I had been nominated, never mind shortlisted. Being nominated itself is an achievement, probably one of my best achievements to date. There are a lot of hard working people and volunteers in Clackmannanshire that I feel are deserving of the award.” Since she started volunteering for the charity, Vicky has raised money through the Alloa Half Marathon – by forming a group to run called the Alloa Ladies – and can collections.

She has also been involved in the Big Can Collection that Tesco carries out annually for Diabetes UK, putting together a team of friends to fundraise over the weekend-long event.

In addition, Vicky has been a volunteer at a family support weekend in Edinburgh, which she also helped raise funds for, enabling children with diabetes and their families time away from home to learn more about the condition, gain support from health professionals and others living with it.

She explained: “I volunteered to host an ‘exercise to music class’ for the children, to assist in learning the children to manage their sugar levels/ diabetes when they have incorporated exercise into their daily living routine.

“Diabetes is a serious condition, however children living with this condition need to feel how any other child does growing up happy and most importantly enjoy a good life.

“I absolutely love fundraising for Diabetes UK as I have seen the difference our fundraising can make to children, adults and families who have, or know someone, who deals with the illness.

“The fundraising can completely change people’s way of living, managing diabetes, building confidence and lead to building relationships with others going through the same challenges, the fundraising changes lives for the better.” She thanked everyone who has made a donation to Diabetes UK, the Alloa Ladies Team, Bob McQueen, area liaison coordinator Diabetes UK, her friends, family and partner for their support.