FIFTEEN young people from Scotland are through to the finals of the British Red Cross Humanitarian Citizen Awards in London on 2 October 2010.
The charity’s search for the UK’s young superheroes has uncovered young people from around the country making a difference in their communities.
The awards celebrate the valuable contribution young people make to the lives of others and the search is now almost complete to find 2010’s most inspirational young heroes.
Emma Johns, Red Cross Humanitarian Citizen Award coordinator, said:
“They may not wear masks or capes, but sometimes ordinary young people do extraordinary things to help others. They help in lots of different ways – from giving first aid, to fundraising or campaigning on behalf of their local community.”
Adds a spokesperson: “Young superheroes from Scotland include Glasgow University students Graham McGrath, Rosie Lucey and Rhys Black who rescued a woman from the River Clyde; Heena Qamar and Roslyn Templeton from Dumfries High School, who raised more than £4,500 for the Haiti disaster appeal with a variety of events; Aaron Love of Livingston, who saved the lives of two young children struggling in water; eight members of the Helensburgh Red Cross young volunteers group who are involved in fundraising, first aid and peer education; Toni Valbonessi from Bargeddie, Lanarkshire, who, despite suffering chronic ill health, is involved in charity fundraising, volunteering and community action.
“The Humanitarian Citizen Award is open to anyone aged 25 or under, who has made a positive impact on an individual or community.
“The four award categories cover volunteering, first aid, fundraising, or helping their community. The competition is open to anyone aged 25 and under, and includes individuals and groups. The Humanitarian Citizen Award is kindly sponsored by Canon, who have supported the award since it began in 2005.”
Mairi Allan, head of Schools and Community Education for British Red Cross, added: “In a time when there are so many negative images of young people, we want to celebrate their ingenuity and generosity.
“There are many young people around the UK who are doing amazing work. Some of them are involved with the Red Cross, but we want to shout about all young people who embody the spirit of ‘Humanitarian Citizenship’ – giving their time, talents and skills to help others.”
The Humanitarian Citizen Award is an award by young people, for young people. The award is judged by a panel of under-25s, who will pick the winners of the four categories and the overall winner for 2010.
Note to local newspaper editors: The nominees are from the following areas:
Graham McGrath, Bearsden; Rosie Lucey, Kinross; Rhys Black, Dalgety Bay; Heena Qamar and Roslyn Templeton, Dumfries; Young Volunteers, Helensburgh (names available upon request) Toni Valbonessi, Bargeddie, Lanarkshire; Aaron Love, Livingston. Please contact Derek Masterton at above numbers for any further information.
ENDS
The British Red Cross Humanitarian Citizen Award was launched in April 2005 to recognise young people’s achievements and celebrates the contribution that young people make to the lives of others.
The award is for young people up to and including the age of 25 years, for their humanitarian action whether as part of a group or on their own, over a long period of time or as a one off act.
The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies.
We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand emergencies
in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them to recover and move on
with their lives.
For more information about the British Red Cross, please visit www.redcross.org.uk.
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Contact: Derek Masterton
Phone: 0141 891 4016 or 07818 457589
Email: dmasterton@redcross.org.uk
Website: http://www.redcross.org.uk
