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Hearts touched by inspirational youths
INSPIRATIONAL young role models from Peterborough touched the hearts of judges at the YOPEY awards ceremony.
INSPIRATIONAL young role models from Peterborough touched the hearts of judges at the YOPEY awards ceremony.It was an emotional evening which brought men and women to tears and a standing ovation was awarded to all the young people who took part in this year’s Stagecoach Young People of the Year (YOPEY) awards.
More than 200 people packed into Cambridge Airport on Thursday as about 3,000 was awarded to the young people who “give to others”.
The YOPEY awards are held every year in a bid to reveal, recognise and reward the young people who are positive role models.
The city winners included Sian O’Hearn who was crowned the Junior winner for pledging to help her disabled sister and five friends achieve a sporting dream.
Ten-year-old Grace has cerebral palsy, which affects her behaviour and mental abilities and also gets her agitated and upset.
As a member of the City of Peterborough Gymnastics Club, Grace has her heart set on performing at the Special Olympics National Summer Games in Leicester next July. Her dream is to do a floor routine.
So far Sian (13), of Eye Road, Peterborough, has helped to raise thousands of pounds needed by booking a non-uniform day at St John Fisher School and organising bag packs at the local supermarkets.
She was awarded 125 for the Special Olympics and 125 for herself.
The audience was moved to tears when Sian told them: “I love Grace a lot. I would do anything to help her because she’s my sister and I love her lots. But it is difficult and tiring sometimes.”
High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, Judy Pearson, who presented her prize said: “Sian has an incredible amount of responsibility and work in her life and seems to do so happily and enthusiastically.
“Fund-raising is a challenge for anyone, but her outstanding enthusiasm in coming up with innovative ways to help fund her disabled sister’s dream is remarkable.
“What is particularly impressive is the fact that she is also helping to raise funds so that five other young people with special needs can attend the same event.”
The runners up were Ben Taylor of West Delph, Whittlesey and Emily McIntosh, of Swan Close, Whittlesey, who have become indispensable to the lives of 86-year-old couple Harry and Anne Pestell.
The teenagers have been running errands and spending time with Harry and Anne for more than a year and are a joy in the lives of the elderly couple, who are frail and housebound.
The 17-year-olds won 125 for Children with Leukaemia and 125 for themselves.
Other entrants, including Furhaan Altaf from Peterborough, who attended the glitzy ceremony, was awarded a surprise cash prize of 100, of which 50 will go to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Managing director of sponsor Stagecoach Andy Campbell said: “It is high time that we started recognising that there is more to youth than wearing hoodies and terrorising people.
“All of these finalists are the very anathema of the media stereotype of young people.”
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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