The Young Active Citizen Award is awarded to a special young person or group of volunteers who are making a difference in the district.

Judges have selected Emerge Youth Ambassadors, Georgia Taylor and Michelle Hammond.

Emerge Youth Ambassadors is made up of a group of young people who meet weekly after school, looking at ways they could help improve their community.

The group fundraised for a defibrillator which has been used 10 times. Emerge also arranged litter picks in their local area, bringing together people of all ages to make the area cleaner. Throughout lockdown the group has helped with The Sutton Centre pack food parcels, collect donations and sort it for families coming to pick up their package.

Their nominator said: “Their most recent event was a pumpkin carving festival for families during half term which they planned, including making it COVID safe. This was enjoyed by over 30 families in the BD4 area at a time when nothing else was happening.

Emerge's Sam Kirkby said: "Winning the award would recognise the hard work the group do each week despite facing many challenges in their own lives."

Georgia Taylor is described by her nominator as someone who “cares passionately about social justice and wants to make a difference to the lives of others”.

During the October half term, Georgia wanted to make sure the children of Cottingley did not go hungry. She contacted Cottingley Cornerstone Centre and St Michael’s church and asked if she could provide free packed lunches over half term.

The offer was accepted for a few days over half term and Georgia used her own waitressing salary - just £4.50 an hour - to pay for the shopping. Georgia prepared the lunches herself and advertised this through social media and on local community sites.

Her nominator said: “We are very proud of her random act of kindness.

“Georgia offered her services voluntarily to keep the elderly company at Fair Mount Park nursing home and is awaiting placement once allowed post-covid.”

16-year-old Michelle Hammond has volunteered at Ravenscliffe Youth Centre for more than two years, working with the youth workers and delivering youth club sessions and activities.

She also plans trips out, residentials, charity and community events and fundraising. She has also been involved in the centre’s food parcel offering and creating life-skill classes, such as cooking and baking.

Her nominator said Michelle is “a true credit and valuable to young people and Ravenscliffe Youth Centre”.

Michelle said: “I want to act as a role model to the young people by showing them there’s better things to do with their life and keeping their head down in school to achieve the career they want instead of getting involved in gangs, drinking and taking drugs.”

You can vote for your finalist by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LSDBXK9