The four age categories are: up to 11 years, 12-14 years, 15-18 years and 19-25 years and the closing date for nominations is 7th February 2026. Winners will receive special medals from the Lord Lieutenant.
Last year’s Young Active Citizen Award winners included:
- Darci-Bleu Stewart (8), from Yardley Wood Community Primary School in Birmingham, who despite undergoing treatment for cancer twice, has not let her challenges define her. After chemotherapy, she grew her hair to donate it for wigs for children with hair loss.
- Jeevan Jhutti (14), from Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, Sutton Coldfield, for being a great example of charitable spirit in action and a young person showing great proactivity and generosity.
- Elizabeth Downes (16), from Hurst Hill Performers in Dudley who is a Young Leader at voluntary run Performing Arts Group where she demonstrates great empathy skills beyond her years as she helps others grow their self-esteem, confidence and communications skills.
- Syed Adi Ahmed (24) from Deaf World, Birmingham, who set up the first deaf cricket team in the region and has created British Sign Language resources to help hard of hearing people learn to drive, given there are no deaf driving instructors.
The Lord Lieutenant for the West Midlands, Derrick Anderson CBE, said; “We know that every day young people are doing fantastic things to help others and our awards celebrate this. It is inspiring to hear their stories and the lengths they go to make a positive contribution to helping others - they are an example to us all. If you know a young person who is making a difference in their communities, please nominate them.”
