Very special young people win an 'Oscar'

From the archive, first published Friday 23rd Mar 2007.

The equivalent of the Oscars for very special young people in Bradford was played out at St George's Hall tonight.

Youngsters were rewarded for contributions to society at the first Bradford Young Citizens Awards 2007, sponsored by the Telegraph & Argus.

Brave seven-year-old Billy Jo Webber, who has been bullied at school, was one of 15 to pick up a trophy. More than 100 medals were also awarded to runners- up.

Billy Jo beat stiff competition to win the "Tackling Bullying - Be Safe" award for under-11s.

The Allerton School pupil said: "I have been bullied, but now I talk to teachers for other people who are being bullied. I was excited when I won the award."

Proud mum Lindsey Walsh was "absolutely ecstatic" about her daughter's achievement.

"She has had a couple of bad months at school with the bullying," she said. "It knocked her confidence but she has come back stronger than ever and now she gets involved with the other children at school and helps them."

Also a winner was 24-year-old Steven Haigh, who has overcome his disabilities to work at his former school - Thorne Park.

Stephen, who is deaf, volunteers at the special school as a lunchtime supervisor and cleaner. He was nominated by acting head teacher Christine Roche, who called him "a fantastic person who likes to make everyone happy".

James Marsh, 15, who attends Braithwaite School in Keighley, was also a winner. He said: "I used to have outbursts at school. I wasn't very stable. But now I'm a completely different character. I am helpful, I have changed myself."

Youngsters rubbed shoulders with sports and TV stars, including home-grown talent Lee Otway and fellow Hollyoaks star Jennifer Metcalfe. Galaxy radio DJ Jo Jo compered the evening.

Bradford Bulls and Bradford City players handed out trophies, along with Bradford Council chief executive Tony Reeves and Lord Mayor Choudhary Rangzeb.

People from across the district nominated children, young people or groups for the various categories, which reflect the Government's "Every Child Matters" agenda. The event was organised by Bradford Council.

T&A managing editor, Peter Orme, who assisted in judging the Outstanding Achievement award, said: "It is great to see what the young people of Bradford are capable of and to know such positive things are going on when, so often, young people get bad press."

Winners were...

Outstanding Achievement Awards

Under 11 Winner - Jonathan Mason

11-25 School Award Winner - Dominic Feely

11-25 Community Award Winner - Shannon Greenwood

Group Award Winner - Elysium Project

Presented by The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Choudhary Rangzeb, Tony Reeves, chief executive of Bradford Council, and Councillor Colin Gill

Be Healthy Award

Under 11 Winner - Thamina Miah

11-25 Winner - Mohammed Akhell Kamir

Presented by Chris Feather and Nancy O'Neil

Tackling Bullying: Be Safe

Under 11 Winner - Billy Jo Webber

11-25 Winner - Sameerah Noreen

Presented by James Evans and Kath Tunstall

Achieving Economic Well-being

Under 11 Winner - Shipley Palz

11-25 Winner - Richard Braithwaite

Presented by Jennifer Metcalfe and Coun Andrew Thornton

Participation To Success - Enjoy and Achieve

Under 11 Winner - Callum King

11-25 School Award Winner - James Marsh

11-25 Community Award Winner - Steven Haigue

Presented by Lee Otway and Elaine Shoesmith

Active Citizenship - Making A Positive Contribution

Under 11 Winner - Malak Shahein

11-25 School Award Winner - Soraya Mirza

11-25 Community Award Winner - Sam Kirkby

Presented by Mark Bridge-Wilkinson, Coun Colin Gill and Steven Schumacher

The short-listed nominees...

Healthy Lifestyles - Be Healthy

Under-11: Trident/Allerton and Newlands Youth Improvement Programme (ten young people); Hanif Hussain.

11-25: Shaun Teale, Lloyd Thompson, David Metcalfe.

Tackling Bullying - Be Safe

Under-11: Joint Activities Service (ten young people), Shirrell Bacon, Peer Mediation Group - Heaton Primary School (15 young people).

11-25: Anti-Bullying Group (nine members), Jamie Hainsworth, Grange Technology College - Young People's Group (four young people: Usman Ahmed, Qasim Umar, Samaya Ayaz, Aisha Qamar).

Participation to Success - Enjoy and Achieve

Under-11: Destiny Frazer, Tyler Briggs, Matthew Docherty.

11-25 School: Mikhail, Gritsenko, Sam King, Katie Matthews.

11-25 Community: Jonathan Rainer, Mohammed Ayaz, Matthew Durkin.

Active Citizenship - Making a Positive Contribution

Under-11: Victoria Fishburn, Haworth Gardening Club (20 members), Georgina Meakins.

11-25 School: The School Council - Lister Lane Primary School (12 young people), Lucy Ashe, Marcus Strudwick.

11-25 Community: Amy McKay, Shades @ Frontline (11 members), Luke Schofield.

Enterprise and Aspiration - Economic Well Being

11-25: Jenna Atkinson, Leoni Fontaine, Shadow LMC (15 young people).

Outstanding Achievement

Under-11: Rachel Paley, Nathan Pitman, Kimberley Mathers.

11-25 School: Siobhan Dunn, Samayra Ayaz, David Lawson.

11-25 Community: Vikki Fawell, Claire Wellens, Wasim Ahmed.