Sevenoaks Amherst Rotary Club has been sponsoring Chris - who is severely disabled with Cerebral Palsy - for some time and, in recognition of his outstanding achievements, nominated him for the award which was presented by Konnie Huq at RIBI's National Conference in Edinburgh on 25th April 2009.
His nomination was compiled from information provided by professionals and others who know Chris well.
Young Achievers’ Awards
The Inaugural Presentation of Young Achievers’ Awards by the Sevenoaks Amherst Rotary Club and co-sponsored by Waitrose was held at the Wildernesse School.
The awards are non-competitive with achievers being nominated by their teachers who identify those special qualities that otherwise might go un-noticed but which were worthy of recognition. In short they were identifying un-sung heroes.
Inevitably among the recipients were those who undertook caring roles but other demonstrated personal courage, leadership and organisational abilities, community involvement and the determination to succeed in the face of challenging circumstances.
St John's CE Primary School
This is a small Church of England controlled school admitting children from 5 to 11 years of age. Several members of the club have served as governors of the school and we periodically undertake support projects such as renovating the nature area and the supply and installation of a computer suite.
Sixth form practice interviews
We work with several local secondary schools to help students refine their interview techniques. Students' personal statements and customised assessment forms provide Rotarians with background against which to interview. Each interviewee is assessed on a five point scale related to 15 criteria and they are then given positive feedback on performance and, as appropriate, advice on strategies for improving their presentations.
HOPEHIV
To help this charity establish itself in schools we supplied a laptop PC and projection equipment.
HOPEHIV is about the generation of hope. They support children and young people in sub-Saharan Africa affected by HIV/AIDS. They believe the children have the potential to make Africa’s future one of hope, rather than despair. http://www.hopehiv.org/
Support for young people
The club is keen to support young peoples' activities in the local community and in particular supports:
- Young Achievers' awards (see above);
- Sevenoaks Young Musician of the Year;
- Spring House at Sevenoaks Hospital;
- travel to Africa;
- Sail Training Association cruises;
- Try Angle awards;
- RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards).