Last night’s Youth Award winners: Triumph Over Adversity award winner Nicola Harrison, left, Gennie Witham, who won the Bobby Le Vasseur Award for dedicated service, and, right, Lucy Le Page, who won the Jan Renouf Award for making an outstanding contribution to the community. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0877527)
GUERNSEY’S young people shone like stars at an awards ceremony last night, when their positive achievements were recognised.
Some nominees had overcome huge obstacles, while others had taken every opportunity to volunteer at the youth groups around the island.
That commitment to live life to the full and make a positive contribution to society clearly impressed the audience at the Princess Royal Centre for the Performing Arts and the guests of honour, Bailiff Sir Geoffrey Rowland and Lady Rowland.
Nine people aged between 14 and 23 were shortlisted for the Celebration of Achievement Young People awards, organised by the Guernsey Youth Service and sponsored by Guernsey Electricity, and these were whittled down to three winners.
Nicola Harrison, 22, won the Triumph over Adversity award for turning her life around.
She fell in with the wrong crowd at 16 and was married at just 19. Three children followed but Mrs Harrison was determined to provide a better quality of life for her children – now aged one to three – and signed up for a Fresh Horizons course at the College of Further Education.
The Marsh Management employee was pregnant when she was studying for her qualifications and even gave birth to her third child, Jack, three days before passing her final exam.
‘I’m happy to have won but I think other people deserved it more than me,’ she said, adding that husband Luke had supported her all the way.
Runner-up Adam Smith, 16, who is now studying for his GCSEs, was diagnosed last year with a rare form of cancer and underwent intensive chemotherapy without pain relief. Despite the huge challenge he faced, his positive attitude was an inspiration to his family.
In the same category shortlisted Pierre Petit, now 20, overcame a motorcycle accident that left his right arm paralysed to become part of the UK Paralympic ski team.
Gennie Witham, 23, who won the Bobby Le Vasseur Award for dedicated service, also demonstrated considerable determination.
She has spent years supporting children of all abilities and was nominated for her work with the You Can Do It Foundation, which takes special needs children to an activity centre in Dorset.
‘I didn’t know that I had been nominated,’ she said. ‘I just love doing what I do, it’s so rewarding.’
Lucy Le Page’s volunteer work for the youth service saw her take the Jan Renouf award for an outstanding contribution to the community, sponsored by the Guernsey Press.
Despite the absence of her mother and father, the 17-year-old, who was brought up by her grandmother, Debbie Le Page, has become a role model for other youngsters.
‘I was really surprised to win because I know how much the others did in my category,’ she said.
Her great-gran, Rose Weston, was beaming with pride. ‘It’s fantastic,’ she said. ‘Lucy is a credit to us.’
Article posted on 26th November, 2009 - 2.29pm
Most Commented: