Young people across Cambridgeshire were rewarded in a prestigious ceremony after showing their star quality through selflessly helping others. Ten students from across the county were given credit during the Ferrier Pearce Young People of the Year for Cambridgeshire.
Achievements included being an online agony uncle, saving a toddler’s life and raising thousands of pounds for charity.
Across the Fens four young people were commended by YOPEY for their work.
Courtney Pettifor, 18, of Fishers Bank, Littleport, for sporting activities, Lesley-Anne Parkinson, 23, of High Street, March, for befriending a young woman with learning difficulties, Joshua Dodds-Mills, 16, of Heron Croft, Soham, for saving a toddler who was in danger of falling off a window and Ashlea Jarvis, 25, of Mill Road, Whittlesey for her volunteer work with the charity Froglife.
YOPEY is a campaign which aims to give young people a fairer image in the media by revealing, recognising and rewarding young unsung heroes.
The aim is to single out those who shine like beacons of positivity and set them up as role models for other young people.
Whittlesey councillor Kay Mayor praised the youngsters’ achievements saying it was important to recognise young people who were doing good work.
“There are young people that do get involved in doing good within their communities.
“We should not ignore any youngster who is prepared to volunteer or help and we should also offer help to those young people who desperately need it,” she said.
Courtney Pettifor saw how much his disabled brothers enjoyed taking part in sport so now helps run various events around Ely including setting up a football team at his sixth-form college.
He has also helped build homes for Aids orphans in Africa and won a joint third prize of £50 for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital Charity and £50 for himself.
Lesley-Anne Parkinson takes a young woman with learning difficulties out for activities two to three times a week in addition to caring for her three year old son and partner.
She won joint third with a £50 prize for Mencap and £50 for herself.
Joshua wants to be a paramedic after saving a toddler who was in danger of falling off a window ledge.
He was a cadet sergeant in St John Ambulance and is now looking at setting up an independent first-aid group.
He was a junior winner bagging a £100 prize for the Liam Fairhurst Foundation and £100 for himself.
Ashlea Jarvis has spent three years helping the charity Froglife and is billed as its “keenest volunteer”, leading groups, licensed to handle rare newts.
She won a runner up prize of £50 for Froglife charity.
Sam Carvalho, 19, of Verulam Way, Cambridge is a successful online agony uncle on mental health issues. He has 41,000 followers on Twitter and a website where people go for personal advice.
He won Young Person of the Year with £400 for Mind and £400 for himself.
Alex Fogg, 19, of Norman Court, Hemingford Grey, helps scouts despite living with epilepsy.
He is an assistant leader of his scout group, sits on county bodies, has been on trips abroad to help in Africa and will be helping to run a scout group near his university.
He won second prize of £200 for an African scout charity and £200 for himself.
Tyler Bennett, 16, of Musker Place, Papworth Everard, was moved by the terminal illness of her inspiring head teacher to fundraise for charities linked to brain tumours.
She held cake sales, skydived, led 50 teachers in a flash mob and ran a half-marathon, raising about £2,500 so far.
She was runner up with a £50 prize for Brain Tumour UK.
The brother of Florence Clark, 19, of Fowlmere Road, Foxton, died suddenly at home after a long-haul flight.
To remember him Florence and seven friends from Hills Road Sixth Form College ran a half marathon and raised £14,000.
Despite grieving she got 4 A-grade A-levels.
She won runners up prize of £50 for East Anglian Air Ambulance.
Jade Ramm, 18, of Goodacre, Peterborough, admits to being trouble at school. She used to play football but now she coaches as well, has represented the FA abroad, and runs her own leadership group. She won runners up prize and £50 for a football leader’s scheme she set up in Peterborough.
Cambridge University students Jocelyne Size, 21, Pippa Smith, 20, and Alice Robinson, 22, help run The Hub, a campaigning organisation, working to better the lives of those less fortunate and to increase awareness of social and environmental issues.
Their group entry won runners up prize of £50 for Cambridge Hub.
Lead sponsor for the YOPEY awards was Ferrier Pearce, a national creative agency with offices in Fenstanton.
Executive Chairman Nigel Ferrier said: “Recognising the achievement of young people and investing in that, not just in Cambridgeshire, but also nationally, is something that is very important to us as a company’
Other sponsors include Wisbech agriculture experts Hutchinson’s, ALS Food & Pharmaceutical of Chatteris, The Micron Group and G’s vegetable growers of Ely, Cambridge technology companies CSR, ARM, Stratagem IPM and TTP Group, PR agency Kiss, Linx Printing Technologies of St Ives, LifePlus of St Neots, Peterborough City Council, Kier Construction and Waldeck Consulting. Anglia Co-operative Community Fund and Cambridgeshire Community Foundation made grants.
St Neots Town Council hosted the awards at the Priory Centre,
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