Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland is proud to share the incredible stories of the winners in the Rotary Young Citizen Awards 2025.
Now in its 18th year, the Rotary Young Citizen Awards were launched in 2007 to celebrate the amazing achievements of young people. Since then, hundreds of inspiring young people have been recognised for their social impact, volunteering and fundraising.
This year’s winners have shown outstanding commitment to causes that matter to them, from supporting mental health to promoting inclusion, and from using sport to inspire and encouraging wildlife conservation.
This year’s winners received their awards at a prestigious ceremony in London, where champions of Rotary’s Young Chef and Young Musician competitions were also crowned.
Nominees are all supported by their local Rotary club.
DANIEL JILLINGS
Rotary Young Citizen Award
Nominated By: Rotary Lowestoft East Point
Since 2018, Daniel has been actively campaigning for all students, both Deaf and hearing, to have equal opportunity to study British Sign language (BSL), as a GCSE in secondary education.
Daniel’s tireless campaigning has resulted in extensive media coverage and production of an award-winning BBC documentary, recognising his instrumental efforts in achieving success in getting the BSL GCSE planning underway.
ROSA ROSS
Rotary Young Citizen Award
Nominated By: Rotary Leith
In January 2024, Rosa Ross was diagnosed with stage four non- Hodgkin lymphoma, but that didn’t stop her from continuing her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Despite the challenges, she adapted her approach to the volunteering section of the award by leading activities for the young patients on her ward, turning her hospital experience into an opportunity to help others.
Rosa’s volunteering didn’t stop there, she went on to help organise a school fundraiser during childhood cancer awareness month, volunteers with LoveOliver, the Childhood Cancer Research charity and has joined a Girl Guides Advisory Board and the Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Advisory Group.
TORIN LIVERSEDGE
Rotary Young Citizen Award
Nominated By: Rotary Aboyne & Upper Deeside
Torin has been using his passion for photography to raise awareness and vital funds for local mental health services, following the tragic loss of his brother, Corey, who took his own life in 2020, aged 16.
Torin has poured his heart into his photography, capturing images of the local landscape to create calendars in aid of Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH). Selling over 350 calendars and raising over £5,250 for the charity.
KRISH DARYANANI
Rotary Young Citizen Award
Nominated By: Rotary West Derby, Liverpool
Krish has demonstrated his leadership skills through his work with the Merseyside Youth Commission and on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Race Equality Panel, contributing to solutions for tackling the summer riots and working with them on the Aspire Discover Programme.
Krish is also a proven environmentalist working with the North West Net Zero Youth Steering Group and as a young advisor on a Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) project.
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VINICIA CABULO FERREIRA
Rotary Young Citizen Award
Nominated By: Rotary Stratford
Vinicia has harnessed her personal experiences and observations to create a social enterprise focused on mental health, anti-bullying, and special educational needs. This initiative not only supports young children and young people but also empowers families and educators to better assist children and young people throughout their educational journey and beyond.
Vinicia’s initiative demonstrates her strong sense of citizenship and leadership in promoting inclusion and equity for families, children, and young people.
JUDE WILLIAMS
Rotary Young Citizen Sporting Hero Award
Nominated By: Rotary Limavady
Jude has been a member of the Triathlon Ireland Squad since the age of 15, earning his first Irish cap competing at the ETU event in Holten, The Netherlands, as the youngest participant, and has since gone on to represent Ireland at multiple European Cups.
At just 14, he completed the 7.5km Hellespont swim from Europe to Asia, raising over £10,000 for the Sunshine Foundation, a charity supporting children with special needs in Romania.
SASHA SHEVCHENKO
Rotary Young Citizen Peacemaker Award
Nominated By: Rotary Hereford City
Arriving in the UK from Ukraine in 2022, Sasha Shevchenko joined Hereford Sixth Form College in 2023, where she started running the Ukrainian Society, giving Ukrainian students an opportunity to support one another as they settled into life in the UK.
Alongside this, Sasha has given talks to local church groups and events, arranged and facilitated support for fellow Ukrainians and has acted as translator and interpreter, always demonstrating trust and confidentiality.
CHARLIE WARREN
Rotary Young Citizen Environmentalist Award
Nominated By: Rotary St Neots St Mary’s
Charlie started his horticultural journey in the summer of 2022 and has created something truly special for the school to enjoy by turning some unused land on the side of the school into a garden, growing a wide range of fruits and vegetables which are then prepared in the kitchen and served to students in the canteen.
He also propagates plants to sell, raising money for the academy. The garden provides a space for Charlie to participate in his hobby, it also provides an outdoor area of tranquillity and wellbeing for all.
