Five inspirational teenagers celebrated for their volunteering work in The Gambia

Five inspirational teenagers from Wrexham have bagged themselves a national award at this year’s Youth Work in Excellence Awards for their 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.

Together the group, alongside Wrexham Council’s Youth Work in Education Team, developed the ‘Creating Change’ project, which saw them raise over £12,500 through fashion shows, bingo, Christmas fates, duck races, three peak challenge and sponsored canoeing (to name but a few!)

The five then travelled to the Gunjur Project in Gambia, whose focus is to ensure that all who visit leave making a positive impact on the local community and The Gambia as a whole.

The project focuses 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.

Whilst there the group used their hard earned funds to fund three years worth of education for three children – along with helping one young person with their midwifery studies and for funding 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.

Their work has now been recognised by the Youth Work in Excellence Awards for promoting Health and Wellbeing at a recent event in Cardiff. They also received a 50 hrs Global Millennium Award which recognised their contribution to overseas volunteering on the same night.

Cllr Paul Rogers, Lead Member for Youth Services and Anti Poverty, said: “These five 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.

Youth workers Caroline Bennett and Tina Edwards, 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.”