STUDENTS in Stretford have been nominated for an award by Stretford and Urmston MP, Kate Green.

Ajai Singh, Danish Amin, Aimee Monaghan and Sania Muhammed from Stretford High and Lauryn Duncan-Rouse, Dylan Holden-Sim and Adeel Anwar from Stretford Grammar have been nominated for their work helping refugee children when they travelled to Dunkirk in July 2016.

The students worked full time with the children in Dunkirk, doing everything from organising and throwing an Eid party to helping the children with their English, Maths and Art. They also helped the children develop "soft skills" such as sharing, helping others and teamwork.

The refugee children had very little experience of school and the students said even sitting at a desk presented a challenge for them.

Aimee Monaghan, from Stretford High School said: “It was an eye-opening experience for all of the students and teachers involved and one that I will never forget."

On returning to the UK, the students addressed a Trafford Council meeting to tell councillors and the Mayor about the work they had done and plead for the local council officials to do their part in helping to alleviate the refugee crisis.

Kate was really impressed to hear about the students work and nominated the them for a 2017 Kids Count “Inspire the House” Award, under the category ‘Most Inspirational Young Person’

Kate said: “I’m really proud of the work of the students from Stretford High and Stretford Grammar Schools in Dunkirk. It’s great to be able to recognise their achievements by nominating them for this award – I’m keeping everything crossed that they’ll be successful.

“With so much division and uncertainty in the world today, the future of our community certainly seems bright when our young people take such positive action helping others.”

Kids Count is a grass-roots organisation, aiming to find practical solutions to issues that affect children and young people.

The aim of the “Inspire the House” awards is to recognise those individuals and organisations that have inspired young people in their communities.