People are quick to find fault with growing up in Norfolk. 'Boring' and 'isolated' are commonly used to describe what, in my opinion, is the complete opposite.

When someone who doesn't know Norfolk asks where I live, I find myself saying 'in the middle of nowhere'. Yet I live 20 miles from Norwich.

Growing up in Norfolk is one of the most free existences you can have. My favourite thing is the seemingly infinite space that surrounds me. I love exploring nature and the great outdoors, happily cycling for hours without seeing a single car and walking for miles in complete silence except for the occasional bleating of a sheep or the sonorous moo of a cow. With very few neighbours I am free to make as much noise as I like.

Regardless of the painfully slow and wildly unpredictable internet, and the fact that to gain a signal, I have to parade around the garden hopelessly holding my phone in the air, I feel rather than being hindered my childhood has been greatly improved by the fact that I don't sit obsessively in front of a screen. Instead within half an hour I can be in Norwich actually meeting friends, watching bands play live and together exploring the vibrant, quirky streets of the city.

There are so many great things about growing up in Norfolk but the best for me is all this space and beauty together with being able to enjoy Norwich. It's a unique combination.

Joe Hamilton, 16, from Wolterton

Future Voices is a section of the EDP that is written by young people. We recently recruited a new group of young people to form the editorial team and as part of their application they had to answer this question: What is the best thing about growing up in Norfolk? This is one of the winning articles.