Information on Loughborough

Justice Award nomination for Loughborough teenager

Posted on 30/09/2008

A 16 year old girl from Loughborough has been nominated by the police for a national Justice Award for her voluntary work at a youth club in the town.

Naomi Sharpe is one of just five people across the country to be short listed for The People's Award category which is run in conjunction with The Mirror newspaper.  Anyone working in, or with, the Criminal Justice System, including volunteers, can be put forward for the Justice Awards.  The People's Award recognises individuals who stand out from the crowd either because of their personal story or because their work is focussed on an issue at the heart of their community.

The Mirror will profile the five nominees in its paper and its readers will vote for the winner.  Naomi has been invited to an award ceremony in London on Tuesday 21 October when the winner will be announced in front of the Prime Minister.

Naomi has been nominated for her voluntary work at Youth Zone at The Hut on Old Ashby Road.  She started using the facilities when it first opened in June 2007.  The police set it up as an internet café but it has grown since then to include many other activities and is now run by members of the community for local youngsters.  Because Naomi wants to be a primary school teacher she asked if she could help run activities for the younger children.  Since then she has given up her time every Tuesday evening to teach the 6-11 year olds dancing, arts and crafts, healthy eating, T-shirt painting and computer graphics.  She has also helped to deliver organised projects such as ‘Our Street' which looked at how the children saw their neighbourhood, helped them to understand what impact they have on it and how they can change things. 

Her Mum, Rachel, said; "Being nominated for the award is absolutely fantastic and we are really really proud of Naomi and I know the nomination has made her feel very valued.  She has been at Youth Zone for more than a year and never missed a Tuesday evening.  She plans and runs her own projects with the younger children and what she learns in her own dance sessions she adapts to teach to the younger ones.  She has also helped to run extra sessions over the summer holidays.  Last year she was also studying for her GCSEs and she has a Saturday job in a shop."

Sergeant Kevin Wright, from Loughborough Police Station, said; "When we set up the facilities we had no idea it was going to prove so popular.  The young people have really joined in, adopted a positive attitude and we've enjoyed joining in with them.  .  Naomi is a shining example of a young person who is motivated and involved in their local community and wants to make a difference.  She is extremely reliable and trustworthy showing a high degree of professionalism in everything she does and I know both the children and the parents feel very comfortable talking to her.  She is a real role model for local youngsters."

Naomi is very modest about her work at the project.  She said; "I just want to be a primary school teacher and becoming a youth volunteer at Youth Zone has made me even more determined to do that.  I've loved working with the young ones.  The dance teacher at Youth Zone stopped running sessions for the under 11s and, because I had done dancing for nearly 10 years, I was able to take over and pass on what I've learnt to them and I know they really enjoy it.

"I have about 25 children in the sessions during term time and we do mainly street dance, the girls in particular are really eager.  When I found out about the award I was really shocked at first but now I can't stop smiling.  I just love working with the kids."

Issued on 30/09/08 at 09:15