Outstanding young people from across Norfolk and Suffolk are set to be honoured at a special awards ceremony next month.

Eastern Daily Press: The Bernard Matthews Youth Awards 2014. The Garage dancers, with singer Lorna Cracknell. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe Bernard Matthews Youth Awards 2014. The Garage dancers, with singer Lorna Cracknell. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

The Bernard Matthews Youth Awards, in association with Eastern Daily Press, is now in its seventh year, and today we can reveal the inspiring finalists in the award categories that range from sport to bravery to food and farming.

Andrew Sherwood, Bernard Matthews HR director, said: 'We have had an amazing number of entries to the Bernard Matthews Youth Awards this year which has made judging a tough task.

'The Bernard Matthews Youth Awards recognise and reward the skills, talent and dedication of young people in our region. Now in their seventh year, I am once again astonished by the impressive and outstanding achievements of the young people of Norfolk and Suffolk.

'The role young people play in our society is so important but can often go unrecognised. The Bernard Matthews Youth Awards draw attention to these committed youngsters and highlights the achievements and ambitions of the next generation.'

Eastern Daily Press: The Bernard Matthews Youth Awards 2014. The band from the Garage's Musicians Development Programme. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe Bernard Matthews Youth Awards 2014. The band from the Garage's Musicians Development Programme. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

The ceremony will take place at Open in Norwich on October 27. The winner of each category will receive a £1,000 prize to help them further their dreams.

There will also be a Bernard Matthews Young Person of the Year prize and a hero award for an adult who is a considered to be a great young people's champion.

Performers from The Garage will also be showcasing their skills by providing a vibrant mix of entertainment at the event.

For more about the awards visit www.bmyouthawards.com or follow @BMYouthAwards on Twitter.

Eastern Daily Press: The Bernard Matthews Youth Awards 2014. The Garage dancers. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe Bernard Matthews Youth Awards 2014. The Garage dancers. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

THE BERNARD MATTHEWS YOUTH AWARDS 2015 FINALISTS:

FOOD AND FARMING

YUM Fest: Foods around the World, in Wymondham, for highlighting the diversity of food around the world with a festival that raised funds for Norwich Foodbank.

Farm to Fork, at Cromer Academy, for the group's commitment to promoting sustainable farming and fishing practices and working with local food suppliers and producers.

Let's Eat, based at Open Youth Trust in Norwich, for the project's work to highlight the nutritional and financial benefits of home cooking.

SPORT

Livvy Rowe, 17, from Cringleford, for her dedication to sprint and marathon flat water kayaking and representing Great Britain in her sport.

Ben Collingwood, 16, from Bradwell, near Great Yarmouth, for excellence in tennis and inspiring others with the sport through his own tennis coaching business.

Nell Doubledee, 14, from Ipswich, for not letting her sight impairment stop her

from achieving great things in athletics including winning a gold and silver medal at a national championships.

CHARITY

Sammy Woods, 18, from Hellesdon, for making a huge contribution to the youth panel of Nelson's Journey, a charity which supported her after the death of her grandmother.

Ellen Jane Parfitt, 16, from Wreningham, for her dedication to organising fundraising events during Deaf Awareness Week and also raising money for various charities over a number of years.

Branie Basted, 15, from Norwich, for raising a significant amount of money for several charities and also being a volunteer befriender for Age UK Norwich.

ARTS

Debbie Castro-Kerridge and Caity Adkins, both 14, from Diss, for their huge enthusiasm for painting and holding an exhibition of their art work to raise funds for the refurbishment of Diss Corn Hall.

Sophie Catherall, 13, from Ipswich, for excellence in playing the oboe and great dedication to developing her talent.

Rebecca Ball, 17, a Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form pupil from Sprowston, for achieving great things in fashion and organising a fashion show to promote the work of young Norfolk designers.

BRAVERY

Jessica Spooner, 16, from Calthorpe, for learning to cope with anxiety issues and helping to develop Aylsham High School's restorative justice team Peacemakers.

Anna Strong, 13, from Norwich, for supporting her mum in her cancer battle by having her head shaved to raise more than £7,000 for Big C.

Mattie Sexton, a 13-year-old Norwich School pupil, for showing great courage when faced with having major brain surgery to help stop seizures caused by epilepsy.

EDUCATION

Christopher Vear, 18, from Necton, for being an inspirational pupil at Dereham Sixth Form College and achieving excellent A-level grades while using voice activated software. Also for volunteering at Fred Nicholson School in Dereham.

Benjamin Britten High School Eco Group, in Lowestoft, for the group's dedication to raising awareness of environmental issues and making the school more environmentally friendly.

Beccles Free School RoboCup Team, for being runners-up in the RoboCup World Championships, an international computer coding competition held in China.

HERO

Pat Howe, a youth team volunteer at Nansa in Norwich, for helping to make a real difference to the lives of young people with disabilities, including helping them to become more independent and confident.

Nikki Scott, the founder the King's Lynn-based charity Scotty's Little Soldiers, for her work to support bereaved children who have lost a parent who was serving in the British Armed Forces.

Ben Burt, from Open Youth Trust in Norwich, for being a great advocate for young people and always keeping young people's voices at the heart of Open Youth Trust.