Shining Lights: North Edinburgh celebrates it’s young people

Strangers to North Edinburgh might be forgiven for thinking that all our young folk spend their time tearing around the neighbourhood on stolen motor bikes, causing fear and havoc all over the place. The truth, of course, is very different – yes, we have some problems with antisocial behaviour, but we’re not alone there: what areas don’t? And we also have something that some other communities would love to have: North Edinburgh has an abundance of great kids doing great things – and an event at Urban Village last night provided a timely opportunity to celebrate their many achievements.

North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum organised and staged the second annual Youth Awards in the Urban Village at Crewe Toll. The numbers attending were down on last year’s event, but what was lacking in numbers was more than made up for in enthusiasm!

Big winners on the night were Muirhouse Library, who won the Best Youth Organisation category in both the Under 12’s and 12 – 25s age groups. Parklife, the West Pilton Park action group, also did very well with members picking up a number of awards

As a former local youth worker Forth councillor Cammy Day once supported NEYPF and he introduced compere for the evening John Loughton. Local man John attended Forthview and Craigroyston High School and was a founder member of NEYPF. His big break came when he won Celebrity BIg Brother Hijack back in 2008 and he’s never looked back – John has become an international ambassador for young people and his services as a motivational speaker are much in demand.

He was the ideal master of ceremonies at the Urban Village event, getting through a pile of awards with good humour and he even managed to get some of the shy award winners to say a few words – quite an achievement!

Musical entertainment was provided by the excellent Ross Arthur, who stepped in at late notice to deliver a set that got some of the girls up on stage for a dance!

And the winners were …

North Edinburgh Youth Awards 2017: Under 12s

Male Pupil of the Year

Winner: CRAIG TILBURY

Runner Up: Malcolm Douglas

Female Pupil of the Year

Winner: NESRINE KARROBI

Runner up:

Best Friend Award (Male)

Winner: CONNOR DUFFY

Runner Up: Reece Devlin

Best Friend Award (Female):

Winner: RILEY PHILLIPS

Runner Up: Sinead Wylie

Sports Personality of the Year

Winner: LYLE WHITTAKER

Runner up: Kieran Smith

Best Footie Fanatic

Winner: BRECK RUSSELL

Runner up: Lennox Anthony

Youth Organisation of the Year

Winner: MUIRHOUSE LIBRARY

Runner Up: West Pilton Parklife group

Young Performer of the Year:

Winner: NELLIE WALLAS

Runner ups (2): Chloe and Joshua

Young Eco Warrior of the Year

Winner: SHANNON MARTIN

Runner up: Cameron Graham

North Edinburgh Youth Awards 2017: 12 – 25s

Volunteer of the Year

Winner: ROKSANA BARSAN

Runner up: Brandin Sharp

Best Shoulder to Lean On (Male)

Winner: LOUIS CORREIA

Runner up: Cameron Connolly

Best Shoulder to Lean On (Female)

Winner: CHARLENE FRASER

Runner up: Asha Domento

Most Improved Young Person of the Year

Winner: ROXANNE McELHONE

Runner up: Lewis Burke

Pupil of the Year

Winner: SAYMA HOSSAIN

Runner up: Logan McKinley

Sports Personality of the Year

Winner: TONI DONALDSON

Runner up: Josh Ward

Best Footie Fanatic

Winner: MAYO ROTIMI-OGUNDELE

Runner up: Kyle Murdoch

Youth Organisation of the Year

Winner: MUIRHOUSE LIBRARY

Runner up: Open All Hours (Ainslie Park Leisure Centre)

Young Performer of the Year

Winner: DYLAN STEWART

Runner up: Logan McKinley

Young Eco Warrior of the Year

Winner: JOSHUA GRAHAM

Runner up: Bethany Martin.

There were also presentations to judges Annie Cheung, Tony Anderson and Ellie Smith and there prizes too for Evie Mason and Kayleigh Anderson for dancing and top tweeting!

Congratulations to the award winners and to all the nominees – your friends, your families, your schools, your organisations and your community are all very proud of you!

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Published by

davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer