HERE they are - the full short listed candidates for the Young Champions Awards 2019.
Young Fundraiser
Lewis AtchisonLewis, seven, will be competing in a ‘Total Warrior’ obstacle course to raise money for the charity FNDAction after his mum Emma was diagnosed with the condition in August.
Adam GillNine-year-old Adam ran 50km to raise money for Sports Relief. Last year he swam ten miles in ten days and he is already thinking what challenge to set himself next year.
Alice JepsonFollowing the death of her granddad, 12-year-old Alice made and sold key rings to raise money to buy Kindles for the ICU unit at Barnsley Hospital.
Young Volunteer
Emily HansonEmily Hanson, 12, helps out on the allotments and farm at her former primary school, Goldthorpe Primary, four days a week and during the holidays. She also helps out at the school’s eco after school club and football club.
Dilon Szoke12-year-old Dilon has cerebral palsy and completed a sponsored walk around the artificial pitch of his school to raise money for Barnsley Hospice. He planned the event by himself after learning his former teacher was cared for by the hospice.
Beth GoodliffeBeth, 22, dedicates hours to helping care leavers, in addition to being an ambassador for children in care. She also organised a Christmas dinner for care leavers who did not have anyone to spend Christmas with.
Young Team of the Year (Sport)
Redfearns Under nine BluesThe team rallied together after a team member had a stroke and supported him through his recovery and went the extra mile to help him when he returned to play for the team.
Kexborough ChiefsThe team surprised a charity with £700 after the team received a defibrillator. The charity, The Daniel Wilkinson Foundation, raises money and donates defibrillators to grass roots football teams.
Darton Year 11 Netball TeamThe year 11 netball team dedicated time in the midst of their GCSEs to practice netball and they have retained the title Barnsley Netball Champions for the last five years.
Young Team of the Year (Community)
OasisThe group works together to raise awareness of mental health locally and nationally. They have also worked with NHS England to plan the Youth Summit Event around the NHS long term plan in regards to children and young people’s mental health.
Darton VoiceThe group spends time improving the well-being of students within the school and work in the community. They completed work in the Kexborough Community Gardens.
Ward Green PrimaryThe school has raised more than £1,000 for the Tiny Hearts Appeal by holding various events and shows at the school.
Young Carer
Charlotte and Chloe KitsonThe girls, aged 11 and nine, help to take care of their younger sister Emily who has Retts Syndrome and they also raise money and awareness about the condition.
Thomas BaughThomas is 15 and takes care of his older brother who has heart failure and younger siblings who are on the autistic spectrum. Thomas is also autistic.
Harry WestHarry, 15, takes care of his mother who has physical issues and his younger brother who has arthritis and emotional difficulties. He is working alongside his school, Outwood Academy Shafton, to implement a carers policy across all Outwood schools.
Young Sportsperson
Jack Worth13-year-old Jack is an aspiring motocross racer who travels across the country to compete in competitions.
Max WilsonMax is currently the world champion in karate for the under eight category and the eight-year-old is set to defend his title in October.
Brooke LeesBrooke is an aspiring kart racer and has been recognised for her success in this unique sport. She has recently been signed for Kato Motorsport and she travels across the country competing in races.
Young Community Hero
Willow and Parker BarrWillow, eight and Parker, six, cleared out a pond full of rubbish during their summer break.
Joshua and Amelia LiddleSiblings Joshua, eight and Amelia, six, raised money for their primary school by rearing chickens and selling free range eggs. £300 went towards musical instruments at Thurgoland CE Primary and a further £180 for the school gardening club so they could buy gardening equipment.
Brooke Alcock and Reagan GoddardThe sisters, aged 14 and six, used their Christmas money to donate food and essential items to the Barnsley Churches Drop in Project, a charity dedicated to helping Barnsley’s homeless and they also run a food kitchen.
Young Conquerer - Triumph over Adversity
Emily UnwinEmily, 12, has Goldenhar syndrome and had to learn to eat. She is now defying odds and thriving.
Francesca LockwoodFrancesca is a four-year-old girl who has Down’s syndrome but she is breaking barriers and has taken up modelling. She has appeared on campaigns with Mothercare and the Early Learning Centre.
Evie DysonEvie is partially sighted and has limited hearing but the nine-year-old does not let that stop her achieving her goal of playing football.
Young Entrepreneur
Alice Roberts13-year-old Alice has designed and created her own tote bags and is building up her business, Totes for U.
Body and MindThree friends, Beth Ogden, Alicia Bates and Molly Redfearn, all aged 13, have created the brand Body and Mind, selling well-being packs and room sprays in a bid to encourage people to look after their well-being.
Little TreasuresA group of pupils from Park Street Primary, Wombwell, have made and sold handmade jewellery and sold it to raise money for the Salvation Army. The business has recently begun making and selling tie dye T-shirts.
Young Team of the Year - Entertainment
Emma Ledger School of DanceThe dance school is going from strength to strength since it was taken over last April by 21-year-old Emma Ledger. The school recently achieved a 100 per cent pass rate following the IDTA exams.
Outwood Academy Brass BandThe school brass band won medals at the National Youth Brass Band Championships at Warwick School
Barnsley Metropolitan BandThe band performed at the Yorkshire finals of the British Brass Band Championships in March and finished second, qualifying for the national finals later this year. Among them was a group of seven young players who had never performed in competition before.
Student of the year
Jayden SkeltonEight-year-old Jayden raised more than £100 for his primary school’s outdoor education programme by holding a Santa’s Grotto.
Leyton UtleyThe young writer is set to have his work published in a book after entering a competition. The story the nine-year-old wrote was based on his uncle, Ben Frudd, who is a professional diver and travels around the world.
Karina Bryant The young mathematician has been commended for her commitment to maths. She took the top spot in the maths category in the United Learning’s national best in Everyone Secondary Awards last June and she is always pushing herself to take on increasingly difficult challenges.
Young Musician
Felix YatesThe 12-year-old appeared on Britain’s Got Talent as part of the group Bring It North and reached the semi finals for his singing but since has performed across the country and his group was the support act for Il Divo.
Samuel BywaterSamuel has been excelling in guitar since he was seven years old. Now aged 14, he has just passed his grade eight exam, the highest grade you can achieve in an instrument.
Rhys StokesThis young cornet player, 11, is a rising star performing in multiple local bands and groups and is a ‘go to’ deputy helping out some of the region’s top bands when they’re a player short. Music is also helping Rhys, diagnosed with Asberger’s, grow in confidence.
Special Achievement
Riley Jack HallRiley, 8, suffered a rare stroke aged six and was told he would not be allowed to play football again. He has defied the odds and he is now playing again, after teaching himself.
Dominic Matthew JonesDominic aspires to be an MP and is passionate about change. The 17-year-old has long had a lively interest in politics on a local, regional and national level, serving since 2014 as an elected member of the Barnsley Youth Council and is also a member of the Youth Parliament.
Tanesha IvesTanesha Underwent open heart surgery at five weeks old. Now nine, she has hypermobility but tries to be as active as she can.
Theo Beaumont11-year-old Theo lives with his mum who is type one diabetic. She fell into a diabetic coma in the middle of the night and Theo saved his mum’s life by contacting the emergency services and his grandparents. He remained on the line with the emergency services until paramedics arrived.
