Youth social action recognised at Westminster

Young Northern Irish environmental activist - and John Muir Award participant - receives a prestigious British Citizen Youth Award medal.

Army Cadet Taylor Ashe (pictured above) achieved her John Muir Award this autumn focusing on a litter and recycling campaign around her rural village Ahoghill, County Antrim.

Fourteen-year-old Taylor joined 22 other young people from across the UK to have their youth social action achievements recognised and celebrated through a British Citizen Youth Award.

Speaking at the special award ceremony at the Palace of Westminster with Lord Dholakia OBE DL and Anthea Turner, Taylor said: “During Covid I wanted to make the world a bit better, which I hope did and we can all do our part.

“Through the John Muir Award I was able to set challenges for myself to improve the environment. I thoroughly enjoyed making my chosen wild place better for everyone to enjoy”.

The British Citizen Youth Award, is designed to recognise the individual endeavours of young people who are positively impacting their communities, helping charities or undertaking exceptional activities in support of others.

The Cullybackey Army Cadet group has been supporting young people achieve their John Muir Award since 2018.

• Find out how you can support the Trust’s engagement work creating opportunities for an average of 40,000 people a year to enjoy and care for wild places across the UK visit our Wild Action Fund.
• From 22-26 November 2021, the John Muir Trust is joining youth voices and organisations across the UK to celebrate the power of youth social action as part of #iwill week.

Photo shows Cadet Taylor Ashe at her home in Ahoghill were she organised her own litter pick in the village during Covid-19.