Southend teen wins award from royalty!

Charlotte Olden, 17, who chairs St Luke's Youth Community Challenge, won the 'inspiring individual' category in the 2011 pilot National Citizen Service 'Mix It Up' awards.

And lucky Charlotte , of St Luke's Road, was one of only two award-winners on the night to be presented with a trophy by the Princess Royal herself.

HRH was so interested in Charlotte 's work that she carried on speaking with her about it long after leaving the stage at the ceremony in London .

'Mix it Up' celebrates the achievements of young people on summer programmes run by the National Citizen Service and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Positive Futures Programme.

Charlotte fought off tough national competition to scoop her award at the Oscar-style ceremony, which was hosted by BBC Radio One disc jockey Reggie Yates.

Currently working as an art technician at Futures Community College , Charlotte is studying for her A-levels and aims to become an English teacher.

She was prompted to help launch St Luke's Youth Community Challenge after attending a Coaching for Success residential course run by Youth at Risk in partnership with the innovative Motivate the Estate project in March.

The opportunity to continue with her community volunteering arose when Positive Futures was awarded the Coalition Government's summer pilot project to help encourage youngsters to meet new people, try new things and volunteer in the local community.

Prior to becoming involved in community volunteering programmes she had disengaged from education, but the training gave her an opportunity to focus on what was important to her and to develop leadership skills and self-belief.

Charlotte went on to help build the Cluny Summer Pavilion and got involved in many volunteer programmes.

Thanks to her leadership and communication skills an SLYCC bank account was opened so they were able to start fund-raising for the community.

Among other projects Charlotte and her team have organised curry evenings, re-painted play equipment in Cluny Square and are hosting a Christmas meal for the elderly on Monday 19th December at St Luke's Church.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Children and Learning, Councillor Mark Flewitt, said: "Many congratulations to Charlotte for this tremendous achievement.

"It is a very well-deserved award as she has inspired a great team spirit among a growing group of people who are now continually finding ways to encourage others in the community to change their lives for the better.

"This approach continues to be a fundamental principle of our Motivate the Estate and National Citizens Service work and Charlotte is an example of what is possible if you commit to change."

Charlotte said: "At the ceremony they read out the shortlist and described what everyone had done and then they announced the winners. I was really excited, but scared too!

"The Princess Royal presented me with a glass trophy and talked with me up on the stage about what we had been doing at SLYCC.

"Then, later on, the organisers invited me back so we could finish our conversation. The Princess was very interested in SLYCC and the things I have been involved in."