Virgin Radio Pride UK has been named as Brand Campaign of the Year at the Proud Scotland Awards.

The Proud Scotland Awards are designed to celebrate the LGBTQI+ community by recognising the outstanding work and commitment of individuals and organisations within and supportive of the community in Scotland.

Since the station launched in June it has covered a range of important topics through its programming, promoting discussions on queer culture, how COVID and lockdown has made us change our ideaschanged perceptions about of the queer scene, to LGBTQ+ representation in rock music, a programme on the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida and a special with Skin from Skunk Anansie, chatting about growing up black and gay in the white male dominated world of rock.

The station also brought to life Pride festivals around the UK, partnering with local Pride celebrations from various places including Blackpool, Oxford, Grampian, Liverpool, Norwich, the Isle of Wight and many more.

Further content produced for the station has included documentaries on what it is to be bisexual in 2021, how LGBTQ+ communities helped shape dance music from Disco to House and Matt Cain’s weekly magazine show including lively discussion about LGBTQ+ issues, with leading panelists from a range of organisations. All of this programming has been backed up by a schedule packed full of great music, made up of the best pop-dance and pop-R&B music from the last twenty years.

Virgin Radio UK Content Director, Mike Cass said: “It’s an absolute honour to win this award for Virgin Radio Pride UK and I will always be proud of what the team achieved this summer. When we launched the station we knew if we helped just one person it would all be worthwhile, so to be recognised like this is incredibly humbling. We can’t wait to bring the station back to the airwaves next summer for more big stories, more powerful conversation, more LGBTQ+ celebration and more great music.”

Euan McLeod from the Proud Scotland Awards said: “After such a tough year for everyone during covid the judges were delighted with the sheer number and quality of nominations from all parts of the country. The brand campaign was particularly tough but the commitment of Virgin Radio to ensure the pride network was for the whole nation and not just the capital tipped them over the line. The Proud Scotland Awards is delighted that Virgin Radio scored a massive victory at the awards and is testament to the hard work of the whole team at the station who made this happen.”

Virgin Radio Pride UK returns next summer – catch the Virgin Radio Pridecast until then on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get your podcasts.