A group of young activists from Peasedown St John are celebrating this week after receiving a top prize at the 2009 Chairman’s Community Awards.

The Peasedown Youth Community Council beat nine other nominations to be officially named as the ‘Young Volunteer Team of the Year’. 

The group has taken part in a wide range of events including tree planting, fund raising, and village clean-up days such as the successful ‘Big Clean Up’ in the spring when several tonnes of rubbish were cleared from a social-housing estate in the village. 

The group was founded by local Councillor Nathan Hartley and Youth Worker Bridie Marshall in 2007 to give young people a voice and a chance to make a difference in the community. 

Cllr Nathan Hartley (Lib Dem), who nominated the group, said: 

 “Over the last two years the Peasedown Youth Community has shown just how much they care about our village and have demonstrated a strong desire to really make a difference for themselves and their neighbours. 

I am so proud of their achievements. Their victory at the Community Awards this year is a real boost not just for the group and the youth centre – but a boost for the whole Peasedown St John. 

After Christmas, I’ll be meeting with the young people to talk about which campaigns and activities they want to do in 2010.” 

The youth council’s sail to victory was based on a year of hard work and social action in the village.

Commenting on the group’s success, B&NES Vice Chairman and Peasedown Councillor Sarah Bevan (Lib Dem) said:

“Our young people are often the unsung heroes of their communities, working away behind the scenes because they care about their environment and they care about other people. This award brings Peasedown’s young people’s achievements out into the open – it is richly deserved.”