Fab four in top award line-up (From The Bolton News)

Fab four in top award line-up

AN unprecedented four youngsters represent Bolton in the regional final of Greater Manchester's Young Citizen of the Year tonight. It will be the first time in the contest's history that the line-up of 10 brave, selfless youngsters due to come under the spotlight is dominated by one area. The annual contest is organised by Greater Manchester Police, and, sponsored by Airtours, offers an overall prize package worth more than £4,000.

Bolton's four representatives are Michelle Casey, 15, from Hall i' th' Wood; Joanne Colley, 17, from Westhoughton; Ryan Deane, 16, from Horwich and Charlotte Russell, 14, from Sharples.

The event takes place at the Portland Hotel, Manchester, and a police spokesman said: "Over the years we have been running the competition we have found that finalists have covered most of the Greater Manchester area. To find two from any one area was unusual - to have four is exceptional!

Tribute

"It is a tribute to the quality of young people in the Bolton area and I believe these four people successfully nominated are only the tip of the iceberg. They care for others in the community because they want to, not looking for any recognition and fully deserve the recognition these awards give them."

Victory will make the winner an 'Ambassador for Young People' with a range of responsibilities on a varied programme of police, civic and community-based activities.

The winner will scoop a holiday worth up to £2,500 courtesy of Airtours and Manchester Airport, plus £1,500 for the charity of their choice donated by Church Independent Insurance, plus a VIP day out at Manchester United Football Club.

Each finalist receives £100 for charity, a family pass for Granada Studios and an evening for two at a top hotel.

Here is an outline of just why Bolton boasts almost half tonight's line-up:

Michelle Casey - is a volunteer secretary of the Bolton Bully Free Zone, giving advice and support to the bullying victims. She helped 23 other pupils reach a truce with their tormentors, and has appeared in a play about bullying, performed in front of 800 youngsters throughout Bolton.

Joanne Colley - used her initiative to plan and set up the Westhoughton Youth Drop-In Centre on Bolton Road. She also helps out at Westhoughton Community Centre and with children's day care group, Chatterbox.

Ryan Dean - is a founder member of his school's St Vincent de Paul group which visits elderly people in the area at lunch times and after school. He is an active worker for the Bolton Junior Gateway Club, helping and supporting teenagers with special needs.

Charlotte Russell - suffers from a rare genetic disorder and was the first patient at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital to have a bone marrow transplant. Since then, she has raised more than £11,000 for the hospital. She has also written a book called 'How To Cope When Your Child Gets Diagnosed With Cancer', and is helping to illustrate another book which explains death to children.

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