The achievements of young people are being celebrated this week with the announcement of the winners of the Rotary Young Citizen Awards. Rotary Young Citizen is a project conceived by Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) in association with BBC News 24 to celebrate the positive citizenship and vital responsibilities assumed by many young people in these islands.
Rotary Clubs were asked to identify valued young people (underthe age of 25) in their communities and nominate them for an award involving a trophy, a cash donation to their project and a visit tothe BBC News studios. The winners will receive their awards from BBC presenter Laura Jones at Rotary’s annual conference in Blackpool on Saturday 12th April, which will be televised by BBCNews 24.
Judges drawn from Rotary had a very hard task narrowing down a large entry to select just five awardees who are (in no particularorder):
NICOLE DRYBURGH, aged 19 from Kent, has been severely disabled by cancer and is blind, going deaf and in a wheelchair. But her illness has inspired her to write a book to help others with the disease and raise awareness about disability, called "The Way I See It". She is also raising thousands of pounds money for cancer charities. She has learnt to use a pink laptop and writes a diary of her life on her own website. She also writes a column in the local newspaper. In her book – written on pink pages – she has come up with a wish list of things she wants to do – including bungy jumping and meeting Prince Harry. Nominated by the Rotary Club of Faversham.
JENNA SPEIRS, a 13-year-old schoolgirl from the Isle of Bute, whose twin brother died from an inoperable brain tumour in February, 2007. His wish before he died was that other families with children with cancer and terminal illnesses could enjoy the peace and tranquility of the Isle of Bute as he had growing up. He spent the last year of his life after he was diagnosed with the tumour talking about this. A fundraising appeal was launched at his funeral service and his sister Jenna has now managed to raise £250,000 for Calum’s Cabin to be built on the island. The family now hopes to raise enough money to build Calum’s Cabins around Britain for families of children with cancer to have precious time on holiday together. Nominated by the Rotary Club of Rothesay.
BERWICK COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL PEER MENTORS – Berwick-Upon-Tweed. A group of three 18-year-olds, Head Boy Michael Brennan, Head Girl Rachel Thompson and Antonia Graham, are involved in a peer mentoring scheme at the school which won a Princess Diana Anti-bullying Award. They work with the bullied and the bullies at the school and have extended the service through the BeBo website and set up a text service where youngsters can text their concerns. Cyberbullying and text bullying are causing particular concern amongst youngsters. The three-year project is so successful that there are now 22 Year 11 pupils in training to become peer mentors and the problem of bullying has been cut significantly at the school. The Peer Mentors are now going in to two local Middle Schools to tackle bullying there and other schools elsewhere are looking at the project. Nominated by the Rotary Club of Berwick-upon-Tweed.
YOUNG CARERS IN DERBY/DERBYSHIRE – Four young carers, aged between 12 and 15, will accept the Award on behalf of about 50 young carers being supported by the Children’s Charity, NCH in the city and 180 in Derbyshire. Among those receiving the award is 12-year-old young carer Jimmy Winson who is the main carer for his two parents, who both have mobility problems, his mother is on crutches and uses a wheelchair after surgery to correct a misaligned knee and his father has had a heart attack and suffers from back and shoulder problems. He has a ten-year-old brother,Charlie. The children are finding they have no social life as they spend their time caring for their parents – and worry about their parents and often feel cut off from other youngsters. Nominated by the Rotary Club of Derby.
GILLIAN FERGUSON – a 21-year-old student from Dundee, who co-founded a youth group called "Pure Media" at the age of 14 to help other youngsters in the area. She was also a District Chairman of Rotaract. She is now in her second year at St Andrew’s University. She raised £8,000 to build an orphanage in India for 40 outcast children and went out to help build it. She is working with school girls at a local primary school who have raised hundreds of pounds with sponsored events tos upport the 40 orphans. She is also helping two orphanages in China. She plans to start a charity café/shop at St Andrews with fellow students where they would sell goods imported from the orphanages in India and China, to help make them self-sufficient. Nominated by the Rotary Club of St. Andrews.
We are working in conjunction with BBC News 24 and the winning projects form the basis for a mini – series of reports for television being broadcast this week.
Allan Jagger President of Rotary International in Great Britainand Ireland said "Rotary Clubs work with many young people ona wide range of projects and again we are impressed with thecommitment and dedication demonstrated by these young people. Thisaward provides an opportunity to recognise the outstanding work ofyoung people in these islands."
07/04/08
