Student Charlotte Hollingworth has recently been awarded the ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’ award for her contributions to Barnsley Council.
Charlotte, 17 from Barnsley, has been volunteering for the Dodworth Ward Alliance for the past 18 months. Her role involves the organisation of various events to promote the village and sitting on the panel made up of residents from the area, counsellors and business owners who meet for monthly meetings.
Marcia Cunningham, Community Development Officer for the Council, said:
“One of our priorities as a ward is to run events aimed at local young people. Charlotte is the youngest member of the alliance and it has been really useful to have her on board”.
One of the biggest projects, and Charlotte’s favourite, has been the organisation of the Dodworth Christmas Fair. For Charlotte, this involved organising street stalls, entertainment, the Santa’s grotto and more. The event was extremely well attended and Charlotte even helped out as a steward to ensure the safety of the public.
Charlotte’s volunteering endeavours don’t end there, as she also volunteers at her local Scouts group twice a week as a young leader.
Principal of Greenhead College, Simon Lett commented:
“It’s fantastic that Charlotte has won this award. For Charlotte to devote so much time to volunteering whilst working hard towards her A Levels is astounding. We really encourage our students to make their difference in the community through the ‘Greenhead Volunteering Scheme’. It’s a fantastic way for students to increase their employability skills and future prospects’.