By Mike Kapur, His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire
Picture: Pukaar News
The aim of the Lord-Lieutenant’s Awards for Young People is to recognise the very best young people who have something to offer our local communities in Leicester and Leicestershire. The awards were established in 2006 by my predecessor, Lady Gretton, and are a legacy I am delighted to continue. Over the years, this award has helped to raise the profile of young people’s achievements, and share incredible stories of selflessness, commitment, and bravery. As we prepare to open nominations for the 2025 awards, I am grateful for the opportunity to reward some truly remarkable young people for their efforts.
We recognise extraordinary young people, aged 13-19, across four categories:
- Young Person of Courage of the Year – awarded to an individual who has overcome personal barriers to achieve success, made a stand against bullying, racism etc., or demonstrated a life-saving act of bravery.
- Young Artist of the Year (The Joe Humphries Memorial Award) – awarded to a young person who demonstrates real skill, innovation, and expression in the visual arts, expressive arts, literature, or music.
- Young Leader of the Year- awarded to an individual who has motivated and inspired those around them by leading a project or a change for the better, overcome obstacles to lead a team or group to success, and shown commitment, promise and determination.
- Young Volunteer of the Year- awarded to an individual who has enhanced their local community or environment, cared for a neighbour or relative in need, or helped run a club or society.
All the nominations we receive are then shortlisted by my expert judging panel, with the very best nominees receiving an invitation to a very special “red carpet” awards night, where I am able to present their certificates and prizes. The four finalists in each of the categories, along with their friends and family, award sponsors, and local dignitaries, gather together to celebrate their individual achievements and witness the announcement of the Lord-Lieutenant’s Young Person of the Year- selected at my personal discretion from the winners of the four award categories.
As Lord-Lieutenant, I have had the honour of meeting some extraordinary young people and seeing some truly humbling examples of volunteering, community engagement, and personal achievements, requiring dedication and commitment of the highest order. The stories we hear about young people in the news are so often negative, but these awards showcase how imaginative, courageous, and selfless young people can be. My fellow assessors and I are always astonished at how young people within our City and County go above and beyond for others, and continue to inspire us all with their bravery, creativity, strength of spirit, and selflessness.
Nominations will open in December 2024 and run until mid- February 2025. If you know a young person in Leicester or Leicestershire who you feel is deserving of recognition, please let us know by nominating them for an award, so we can continue to reward the very best examples of achievement by young people across our City and County.
To make a nomination, visit the Lord-Lieutenant’s website at: https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/about-the-council/how-the-council-works/civic-and-ceremonial/the-lord-lieutenant
