Five young ladies from Wrexham have bagged themselves a national award at this year’s Youth Work in Excellence Awards for promoting Health and Wellbeing.

Lauren Lewis, 17, Jade Griffiths, 17, Chloe Roberts, 17, Emma Baker, 16, and Katelyn Owen Jones, 14, set out to support and inspire others to make a difference to the lives of people living in third world countries such as Gambia.

They worked with our Youth Work in Education Team and developed the Creating Change project which eventually saw them raise over £12,500 through fashion shows, bingo, Christmas fates, duck races 3 peak challenge sponsored canoeing and much much more!

The five then travelled to the Gunjur Project in Gambia whose focus is to ensure that all who visit The Gambia leave making a positive impact on the local community and The Gambia as a whole. Once there they used their hard earned funds to support three children to study and go to school for three years, funding for one young person their studies to become a midwife to help her family and friends and for one man to work in the local bird sanctuary which will help him support his family for ten for one year.

They also managed to provide mosquito nets, first aid supplies, sanitary products and stationary and painting supplies for a local primary school. As an added bonus the project saw the outside of the school walls painted in white wash and decorated with bright children’s designs.

The Gunjur Project focus is to ensure that all who visit whether they be holiday makers or volunteers leave making a positive impact on the local community and The Gambia as a whole.
Their work has now been recognised by the Youth Work in Excellence Awards for promoting Health and Wellbeing at a recent event in our capital city of Cardiff. They also received a 50 hrs Global Millennium Award which recognised their contribution to overseas volunteering on the same night.

“an inspiration” Cllr Paul Rogers, Lead Member for Youth Services and Anti Poverty, said; “These 5 young ladies are an inspiration to all who read their story. Their compassion and humanity stands out and I congratulate them for their awards which are well deserved.”

The Award was presented by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Sally Holland.

Caroline Bennett and Tina Edwards, who Youth Workers, spoke on behalf of all the group said:

“We would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in the project as it would not have been this successful nor would the young people had such an amazing experience if it wasn’t for the support of so many people.”

Sally Holland, Caroline Bennett, Tina Edwards, Lauren Lewis, Jade Griffith, Chloe Roberts a Katelyn Owen Jones.