Amazing young people whose achievements are a true inspiration were honoured at a ceremony where they were hailed 'fantastic ambassadors of their generation.'
The 2013 Bernard Matthews Youth Awards, in association with the Eastern Daily Press, took place at Open in Norwich this evening, and celebrated some very special 11 to 18 years olds from Norfolk and Suffolk.
TV presenter Anna Williamson, best known as a Nickelodeon, CITV and This Morning presenter, was the awards' host and she said was 'very, very proud' to share the stage with the inspirational young people who she described as fantastic ambassadors of their generation.
'They really are everything we should be celebrating about Great Britain - young, talented, inspirational people. They have all done incredible things,' she said.
The awards were for food and farming, sport, community, charity, arts, bravery and education, and each category winner received £1,000. Ellie Bea Hitchcock-Wyatt, from Norwich, was named Bernard Matthews Young Person of the Year.
Andrew Sherwood, Bernard Matthews HR director, said: 'I personally cannot speak highly enough of the contribution these young people make, and my hope is that the Bernard Matthews Youth Awards spreads our feelings of enormous pride across our region.'
Bob Crawley, publishing director for EDP publisher Archant Anglia and who presented the community award, said: 'Without community the EDP is nothing and without young people community is nothing. The two go hand in hand and we are really proud to be involved in this event.'
Talented performers from The Garage also entertained the awards' audience with a vibrant mix of music, dancing and theatre.
THE AWARDS WINNERS AND FINALISTS
• Education and Bernard Matthews Young Person of the Year
Ellie Bea Hitchcock-Wyatt, 16, from Norwich, was crowned the Bernard Matthews Young Person of the Year after also winning the education category for co-founding anti-bullying social enterprise Bullying Stinkz which teaches young people about equality and the importance of celebrating differences and including others.
Ellie Bea co-founded Bullying Stinkz with her mum Jacqueline after she was bullied for eight years, and as part of Bullying Stinkz they have created a series of books and been working on an educational empowerment programme. Ellie Bea has also written songs including Gr8 As U R (and Bullying Stinkz) to inspire children.
About receiving the two awards, she said: 'It's amazing to have won.
'I am really thrilled, and I really hope that getting the message Gr8 As U R across will really help people.'
Also shortlisted for education:
Tom Ewing, 17, from Trowse, for academic excellence and designing Wymondham College Magazine.
Friendly Faces, a peer support group at Aylsham High, for work to prevent bullying.
• Charity
Members of Nelson's Journey Youth Panel won the charity award for the inspiring way they help support Nelson's Journey's work with young people who have suffered a bereavement. The Norwich-based panel is made up of 12 young people, some of who have received support from Nelson's Journey. The panel has helped edit new resources for bereaved children, given interviews about the charity's work, created a short film about its role, and is helping to develop a smartphone app.
Also shortlisted: Tessa Jade Clarke, 18, from Worlingham, for supporting charities including East Coast Hospice and Help for Heroes.
Charlotte Earl, 13, from Horsford, and Grace Byng, 12, for their great support of good causes that help animals.
• Arts
Diss Corn Hall Arts Award Group scooped the arts award for the group's work to
promote the Heritage Triangle in Diss.
This has included creating a film incorporating animation and people's memories about the area, organising a screening of the film, and holding an exhibition that included a model of the Heritage Triangle made by the group. The film was also selected for the
BBC Young Filmmakers Festival.
Also shortlisted: Emily McHarg, 15, from Attleborough, for excellent achievement in music, in particular in playing the piano, flute and saxophone.
William Buchan, 14, from Wickmere, for self-publishing his first book, Recruited Mage which sold more than 1,000 copies in three months.
• Bravery
Eleanor Randall, 16, from Great Yarmouth, was presented with the bravery award for her amazing courage in how she dealt with being diagnosed with the rare muscle disease juvenile dermatomyositis affecting every muscle in her body. Eleanor was diagnosed in 2008 and faced an uncertain future, but her courage and sense of humour won through and even when the disease was at its worst she still managed to go to school almost every day.
Also shortlisted:
Maria Butterfant, 14, from Norwich, for rushing to help a woman in her 80s who she found in distress. Catherine Eager, 14, from Great Moulton, for showing tremendous courage and strength following the death of her father.
• Food and Farming
Sheringham Community Smallholding (aka The Patch) was presented with the food and farming award.
The group includes pupils and staff from Sheringham High, Sheringham Primary, Sheringham Woodfields School and Break, and has transformed a piece of land into a smallholding project. Pupils grow produce to eat and sell, look after chickens and learn about sustainability. The food is used in school lessons, and parents and children can work on The Patch at weekends.
Also shortlisted:
Lynn Grove High, in Gorleston, for the gardening team's work to turn wasteland into a garden where they grow fruit and vegetables.
• Community, an award supported by the EDP
Leigh Walter, 18, from Lowestoft, won the community award for his dedication in leading a small group (GYPK) working towards getting a parkour park built in Great Yarmouth.
He is the group's chairman and, among other things, he makes presentations, coaches young people, helps write grant bids, and works with the police to discourage anti-social behaviour.
Also shortlisted:
Katie Lever, 17, from Sprowston, and her friend Leannan Humpleby, for their commitment to Sprowston Youth Engagement Project.
Student Coaches, for their work to inspire other young people to be the best they can be.
• Sport
Emily Crowe, 15, right, from Sprowston, won the sport award for dedication to artistic gymnastics and achieving great things at local and international level. She competes on four apparatus – floor, beam, bars and vault – and represents Norfolk Academy Gymnastics, Norfolk, the east and Great Britain. She came third in an international competition in Belgium, and second in an international competition in France. She is Norfolk and regional champion and has been a member of the GB squad since 2009.
Also shortlisted: Lucy Lee-Smith, 16, from Topcroft, for excellence in kayaking; Harry Webb, 16, from Topcroft, for his dedication and success in kart racing; Amie Hutchison, 16, from Fakenham, for representing Great Britain in softball; Ben Howell, 16, from Long Stratton, and Strada-Sport road cycling team.
• Hero - an award giving young people the chance to honour adults they think are heros
Clare Lincoln, right, from Sprowston Youth Engagement Project and Sprowston Teen Café, was given a hero award for always being there for everyone at the youth club, organising activities for the group, and being really supportive. She is described as 'the definition of a hero', and generous, thoughtful, kind, outgoing and, above all, supportive.
Jo Bivens, above right, of Gorleston-based Student Coaches, was also given a hero award for her dedication to helping young people, and working with student coaches to help them shine and grow in confidence and help other young people. Those who nominated her said: 'Miss is our inspiration and she inspires us to be the best we can be.'
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