2015 Celebrating Young People Awards Recipients
Pope Francis Award Recipient: The overall youth award
Ryan O’Neill is 21 and studying for a degree in Psychiatric Nursing. Since leaving Bishop Hedley Catholic High School in Merthyr Tydfil, Ryan has come to appreciate the environment where he studied, which nurtured his values and faith, influenced his choice of career and enabled him to be respond to the world around him. Merthyr Tydfil has been severely impacted by the economic decline. Ryan wished to give something back to the community, so for the past 18 months he has been voluntarily returning to school, helping pupils as a learning support assistant. Ryan took it upon himself to organise support from the wider community. He has started supporting the PE department and has organised girls’ football trips and entries into competitions. He can see beyond the activity to its impact on raising the girls’ self- esteem. Ryan also organised a speaker to talk about prostate cancer and how to be aware of its symptoms.
Recipients of the St. Josephine Bakhita Award: Celebrating human dignity
Anna simply has a ‘heart of gold’. Since the age of 14 she has volunteered at the Wellspring Centre in Stockport and after changing her own preconceptions...
Emma is 16 and from St John Fisher Church, North London. Emma believes that everyone should be given an opportunity to be part of normal parish life and so...
Abbie Lee, 17, has always stood out as a young woman who has faced many adversities. No matter what obstacles have been placed in her way...
From the onset of her Leukaemia, at the age of 3, Beth has always put other’s suffering first. She was even fundraising for the ‘Anthony Nolan Trust’, whilst she was still at nursery!
Recipients of the Joseph Cardijn Award: Protecting the dignity of workers
Lucy who is 23, is a past student of St James’ Catholic High School, Colindale. She has now returned to work there as a teaching assistant.
Ryan is 19, and as a member of the IMPACT and then Young Christian Workers groups in his parish, St Mary’s, West Croydon, he came to understand...
Scott is 20 worked on numerous initiatives during his time studying at Aquinas College in Stockport. Now a student at Newcastle University, he has taken...
Zoe is 23 years old, a paediatric nurse at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham and a member of the Lay Community of St Benedict.
Recipients of the Jimmy Mizen Award: Promoting solidarity and peace
Falmouth and Cornwall are not known for religious and ethnic diversity. But this is where 19-year old Oussama and the FXU Islamic Society have organised a series...
Kates is 16 and never tires of working for peace, both in the communities she is a part of and for others she will never meet. She feels frustrated that she has to be...
Jamie, 14, has been an elected member of the School Council for the last three years. Jamie discovered that homophobic bullying is now the greatest cause of bullying...
Aysha is 18 and a student at Ursuline High School, Wimbledon. A young boy spat in her face as an attack on her religious beliefs. This made her want to break barriers between people.
Recipients of the Barbara Ward Award: Caring for the environment
Isabella is 14 and a staunch advocate for environmental issues, spearheading a campaign to reduce wasted electricity in the school, and representing the school...
Maisie, Hollis, Hannah & Theo (aged 14-15) have become the first Fisher More CAFOD Bloggers, making a video blog of the school, and how simple things like switching a light off...
St Gregory’s Eco Committee has worked extremely hard to secure the Eco Schools’ Green Flag for the second time. Eleven Year 10 pupils volunteered for the Eco Committee...
Recipients of the Dorothy Day Award: Fostering community and participation
Reizel, 18, is a student at Notre Dame High School in Norwich. She has a strong faith which guides her through her life as a young Catholic.
Deborah Kormi has made outstanding efforts to improve the life chances of young people in South London with her commitment to bringing about positive social change in her community.
Fifteen-year old Alton has won the support of his peer group, school staff and community leaders, showing that joint action can deliver for the Common Good.
Harriet’s youth worker explains “I have chosen to nominate Harriet, because it is only by accident I ever found out the other works she is doing in the community.”
Recipients of the Cardinal Hume Award: Living out the option for the poor
Cheenie is 18 years old and at St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College. She has been one of the pillars in the activities organised by the Chaplaincy.
The Year 7 class from Notre Dame Catholic College, Liverpool, heard about a St Peter’s and St Paul’s school in Uganda and how few resources and facilities...
Tharaney, 17, is a student at St Dominic's Sixth Form College, Harrow. She has been working for the good of the community and those most in need.
Recipient of the CYMFed Award: Inspiring youth leader
Bruno Gambini has been a much loved Youth Worker in the city of Derby for over 30 years. You could probably walk into any parish within the city and people would smile on hearing his name. Those who work alongside him explain “Bruno doesn't see himself as a youth worker, yet the work he continually does with young people year after year is simply wonderful. Bruno doesn't see himself as a Youth Minister but the amount of young people who have stuck with their faith because of Bruno's gentle but powerful witness is amazing.” Bruno understands that life as a teenager can be hard, sometimes deadly boring and very often confusing. Bruno is a constant presence of fun, sound advice and unfailing encouragement. “Bruno loves young people and young people love him, it really is that simple.” Bruno’s commitment is unfailing - he's always there. He works in parish youth groups, confirmation programmes, within the deaf community and is a regular on the HCPT Lourdes pilgrimages.