THE HUNT is underway for a young person aged 14 to 25 who is deserving of an award recognising an outstanding contribution to volunteering in Flintshire.

The award is the legacy of Tom Jones, a founder trustee of Flintshire Local Voluntary Council (FLVC) whose work as a long-standing Flintshire County Council and community councillor earned him an OBE.

The opening of nominations is timed to coincide with the seventh annual 'I Will Week'.

Beginning on Monday, the week is designated to championing young people as leaders of change.

Ann Woods, chief officer at FLVC, the organisation that champions voluntary and community action in Flintshire, said: “It has been an honour to remember and celebrate the life of our late friend Tom with this annual award.

"A nomination is a great way to show appreciation and to give thanks to a community-minded young person - all the nomination form asks for is a short paragraph explaining why the nominee deserves the award.

"Covid-19 has prompted a surge in volunteering, and many young people haven’t hesitated to help local people in need so we’re proudly anticipating more nominations than ever this year.”

Nomination forms for the 2020 award can be downloaded from the homepage of the FLVC website, www.flvc.org.uk, or requested by telephoning 01352 74400, or emailing info@flvc.org.uk. Nominations close at 5pm on Friday, December 11, and the winner will be announced at an awards event planned for early next year.

In previous years, the Tom Jones award has gone to Kirsty Ann Hughes, nominated in 2017 for her contribution to Girlguiding West Flintshire and Chloe-Ann Brooks recognised in 2018 for supporting activities for the benefit of the Saltney Community and representing its young people on the town council.

Last year, James Reynolds earned the accolade for this commitment to Saltney Ferry Scout Group and the wider scout movement in Wales.

From Monday 16th November, this year’s 'I Will Week' features online sessions combining to create The Power of Youth Festival.

The sessions are open to all, and can be found at www.powerofyouth.iwill.org.uk.

In Wales, the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) is hosting events exploring youth volunteering in Wales, specifically how to make it awesome, where your journey to involvement begins and how voluntary action feeds into the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.

You can register to attend these events at www.wcva.cymru/iwill-week-2020/.