Schoolgirls scoop special award for caring

6:33am Sunday 20th May 2007

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Four schoolgirls who mentor a youngster with Down's Syndrome and a 17-year-old with spina bifida who works as a volunteer have been honoured for their efforts.

The five were honoured at the Hertfordshire final of the Young People of the Year (Yopey) awards, a competition to recognise positive role models in Hertfordshire.

Hannah Webber, Laura Bell, Danielle Denham and Grace Phillips, from Tanners Wood Primary School in Abbots Langley, were nominated for the award after becoming best friends with ten-year-old Yasmin Fletcher.

Last Friday, the girls came joint first in the county final of the and collected £125 each, plus £500 for their school.

Emily Steward (pictured) , a teenager from Watford who inspires others to lead an active life, despite suffering from spina bifida, was named as runner-up after winning the Watford stage of the competition.

Year 4 pupil Yasmin requires constant adult supervision and has mentors to look after her during break and lunchtimes at the school in Hazelwood Lane.

Hannah, Laura, Danielle and Grace, all ten, were nominated by their head of year, Gill Kirkpatrick, for showing amazing commitment and dedication to their new friend.

Ms Kirkpatrick said: "We're all very excited, very proud and very pleased. We are very proud of those girls and the work they do with Yasmin, and they are very representative of the caring nature that permeates throughout the school community.

"The girls, on the night, appeared to take everything in their stride.

"They're absolute superstars and very good ambassadors for the school.

"When they got back to school they were very excited and were telling fellow pupils about their evening. They really enjoyed it."

The money presented to Tanners Wood will pay for a "friendship bench" in the school grounds.

Emily Steward, 17, was nominated for a Yopey by Jenny Smith, a teacher at Watford Grammar School for Girls, in recognition of her work helping mentally handicapped children to play football, despite using crutches herself.

She also teaches youngsters to swim and helps in the Sunday school at St Andrew's Church in Chorleywood.