Community Stars Awards: Young Active Citizen

Kieran and Bradley Jackson

A double nomination for twin brothers from the Shipley area who have worked hard in a variety of community projects and groups.

Kieran and Bradley developed their interest in voluntary work as a result of encouragement to do their community badge by their Scout group. Having achieved this award, the twins continued to support many groups within the village of Menston.

Bradley has been especially supportive of many groups who number elderly members in their midst.

Their nomination said the twins “show real commitment and have endured peer pressure which has not deterred their application to voluntary work.

“During the long weekend of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, they were tasked with many varying and challenging tasks, all of which were undertaken by them without question. Even on the Sunday which was a ‘washout’ they still turned up willing to work.”

St Francis Youth SVP

The first group finalist in this category, Our Lady Immaculate & St Francis Youth, St Vincent de Paul Society.

For the past two years its six members, aged ten to 16, have helped the homeless and poor of Bradford.

Every week they collect clothes, furniture and food, some of which is bought from the funds they have raised. They have worked at both the Padre Pio Friary and St Mary’s soup kitchens serving food.

They held a bring-a-tin day at their schools to collect food and held cakes sales to raise funds. In addition, they bought Easter eggs for all the 150 registered young carers in Bradford in both 2012 and 2013.

Their nomination read: “What makes them special? They are genuinely caring individuals who want to make a difference. They are all volunteers and under no pressure to either join or work. They meet every month to decide which good cause they are going to work for in the following month. They are amazing.

“On Saturday, June 29, they visited the CHAS@St Vincent’s Charity Shop on Market Street.

“They helped to sort the saleable clothes, steam and label them. Most of them are too young to volunteer properly and so can only help out for two hours, something they frequently complain about.”

Emma Smith

Emma is waiting to join the Royal Air Force and has attended two meetings with them. She has been given every hope of success. She is the leading member of Keighley Air Cadets.

Emma has shown a real commitment to a very varied range of voluntary activities including: l Emma raised more money than anybody else selling poppies in Keighley.

• She was a Gamesmaker for the whole of the Paralympic Games in London.
• She weeded the car park, cleaned the carpets and washed down the paintwork in Cullingworth Village Hall.
• She has acted as a casualty for the Rotary Youth Training Schemes.
• She raised £200 for Help for Heroes by undertaking a 26-mile Three Peaks Walk.