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Pennie was born in Lanarkshire 21 years ago, and grew up with her Scots-speaking parents and grandparents in Airdrie, and then in Dunblane. When she went to school, though, she soon realised – like Liz Lochhead, 50 years earlier – that a different language was spoken there; and that for reasons of class, the language she had learned from her grandparents was often despised. She always wanted to be a writer, though; and began putting together poems and “wee novels” in her mother tongue, almost as soon as she could write.
Len Pennie
When she was 18, she went to university in St Andrews, where she is set to complete an honours degree in Spanish this year; but in recent years, as the “warrior poet” Miss Punny Pennie, she has also built up an 88,000-strong following on Twitter for her “Scots word a day” series, and for recordings of her poems. Pennie is a strikingly charismatic performer, with a beautiful Scots voice and an avalanche of red hair; and so far
Professor Jill Belch, who set up Masks for Scotland. Pic: Kirsty Anderson THE DRIVING force behind a lifesaving campaign to get PPE to health workers during the pandemic has become the 58th Glasgow Times Scotswoman of the Year. In a virtual ceremony held in association with St Enoch Centre and streamed from the Glasgow shopping mall on social media last night, Professor Jill Belch was awarded the title in honour of her inspirational effort to support NHS staff on the frontline fighting coronavirus. Writer and campaigner Amanda Amaeshi was crowned Young SWOTY 2020 after winning the public vote. Amanda Amaeshi, 2020 Young SWOTY
Tomorrow night’s virtual extravaganza, in association with St Enoch Centre, will be streamed on Ongoing Covid restrictions, of course, mean that sadly we cannot hold our usual party. However, that means EVERYONE can share in the magic of SWOTY as we announce the winner of both our main award, and the Young Scotswoman of the Year trophy. Entertainment is being provided by a tremendous trio of performers at the top of their game – singers Melanie Masson and Marina Rolink, and poet Len Pennie. Melanie, who shot to fame on X Factor and has since toured all over the world, performing alongside artists as diverse as Pink and the Stereophonics, said: “I’m delighted to be part of SWOTY this year.
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