The fabulous Flanagans help to launch the 30th Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards. Twins William and Isabella, front, were the 2023 Personalities of the Year, big sister Amelia, won the Achievement in the Arts Award in 2014 and they are pictured with Awards Chairman Peter McCormick OBE.
The search for Yorkshire’s finest young people began last night with the launch of the 30th annual Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards.
The Awards, sponsored by McCormicks Solicitors of Harrogate, mark the achievements of outstanding young people aged under 35 from across Yorkshire and have now raised more than £1.5m to help youngsters overcome adversity or achieve their potential.
Sponsors and supporters gathered at the West Park Hotel in Harrogate to start the call for nominations and on hand to share their experiences of winning were last year’s Personalities of the Year, Isabella and William Flanagan and their older sister, Amelia, who took the Achievement in the Arts award in 2014.
Chairman Peter McCormick OBE said: “This year is a very special year for us as we celebrate our 30th anniversary. We have had some extraordinary winners over the years, and we hope to welcome yet more to this year’s Awards dinner.”
Winners over the past 29 years have included pop stars such as Kimberley Walsh, the Kaiser Chiefs, Mel B and Gareth Gates, actors including Austin Haynes, Matthew Lewis, Kelvin Fletcher, and Gaynor Faye, and a host of sports starts, from Josh Warrington to Joe Root and from Hannah Cockroft to Darren Gough. The Awards recognise achievement in nine categories and many of the previous winners have been unknown except in their specialist field or own community.
The Awards dinner will be held on Thursday 14 November at the Centenary Pavilion at Leeds United’s Elland Road ground and is the main fundraiser for the Foundation which makes grants to young people and organisations supporting them across the region.
Nominate your potential winners here. Nominations close on Friday 23 August.
The nomination categories are as follows:
- Personality of the Year (sponsored by Rudding Park)
- Youngster of the Year (Nabarro McAllister)
- Unsung Hero (Jamboree Entertainment Ltd)
- Achievement in the Arts (Mary and Jeremy Carter)
- Achievement in Education (Harrogate Town FC)
- Achievement in Management and Enterprise (CHR Group)
- Achievement in Sport (Leeds United Football Club)
- Special Award (Peter Gilman and GMI)