A Harrogate woman was named among the winners at the 30th annual Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards last night (Thursday).
The Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards celebrate stories of courage, commitment and talent, with some winners as young as five-years-old.
And Harrogate’s Kirstie Dunbar, who is part of the team at Henshaws Specialist College, won the Achievement in Education award.
Kirstie has Pathological Demand Avoidance, a condition on the autism spectrum, which makes it very difficult for her to handle some of the challenges of daily life and social situations.
Speaking about Kirstie, a spokesperson for the awards said:
“Kirstie has succeeded in making the most of the opportunities offered to her by her specialist college to become increasingly independent.
“The team at Henshaws Specialist College in Harrogate have been amazed by her huge progress since she joined them as a boarder two years ago and are delighted that she is now flourishing.”
Winners were celebrated in front of a crowd of 400 people at Leeds United’s Centenary Pavilion.
And another of those with a Harrogate connection is The Apprentice winner Rachel Woolford, who owns Studio North.
Rachel was recognised with the Achievement in Management and Enterprise award.
Chairman of the Awards Peter McCormick OBE said:
“It was a very special year for us as we marked a major milestone and it was a joy not only to hear the stories of the winners this year but to see so many other winners from the past and catch up.
“None of this would be possible without the support of our sponsors and our guests, many of whom have been with us almost since the beginning, and I am very proud that with their help, we were able to continue our grants programme which helps young people across Yorkshire to reach their full potential.”
The Awards mark the achievements of young people in seven categories, from the Arts to Sport.
Organised by the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation, the annual event has now raised more than £1.5m to support young people in Yorkshire.
There was a standing ovation for the children of the late Rugby League legend Rob Burrow, when they won the Unsung Hero award, while other winners included Yorkshire’s Olympic and Paralympic medallists and a young actor with a part in a Hollywood film.
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