ON BEHALF OF THE DAVID VAISEY TRUST, £100 GOES TO EACH WINNER OF THE 2020 YOUNG PERSONS AWARD

The comments below reflect the views of individual judges on each winner.

‘Reading groups for young children are the bedrock of libraries. The earlier a love of reading can be instilled in a child the farther they will go. Not only did Lucy’s reading club foster a love of books, but with her help the children developed the confidence to read aloud and to share their stories.’

‘I was impressed by the Lucy’s passion for words and books, and the ways in which she provided such an exciting and full experience for the children in the Word Wizards club. The combination of fun and learning clearly made a big difference to the children and increased the use of Quedgeley Library as a place for family and community.’

‘What wonderful initiative by Lucy in devising an entirely new club for children who are not confident readers, and with amazing results too. I love her creativity, and her generosity of spirit in funding the stationery and prizes for the children herself too. The obvious huge success that Word Wizards has been, evidenced by increased library footfall is a real testament to all her efforts.’

‘It is so wonderful to be able to award a prize to a young volunteer whose ideas almost anticipate the lockdown and whose work can be carried on throughout. Libraries are no longer just about books and reading, with the world now changed, Coding Clubs are a way forward to keep people connected and interested in this time of restriction.’

‘While not directly involved with reading, the work Jay has done to build on his experience as a computer buddy to bring new children into Bishops Cleeve Library, is admirable. His coding club is clearly popular, helping to create a sense of the library as an enjoyable place to learn, and his ability to adapt to the lockdown situation demonstrates his enthusiasm and ability.’

‘Great show of both initiative and enthusiasm here, and I particularly love the comment about how patient Jay is when explaining coding to younger children. It sounds also as if his coding club has been a great success in attracting new library users too.’

‘Writers and libraries, if you can’t have a room of your own, a library is the place to go and find others who share your passion. Freya’s imagination and drive has created something memorable with Caliban’s Cave as well as introducing the magic of Shakespeare to a young audience.  She also gave valuable lessons in marketing and publicity!’’

‘I was impressed by Freya’s enthusiasm and by the evidence that the activities at Tewkesbury Library have clearly enriched the lives of her writing group members; it is a shame that The Tempest project was affected by the lockdown.  Despite that, seeing the story project through to publication demonstrates her hard-working attitude, her ability to take on new skills to bring projects to fruition, and her recognition of the power of story.’

‘Such a lovely story enshrined in this excellent entry: the fact that Freya – a long time library user herself – has used her passion for writing to enthuse younger children, devising workshops and even producing a published book. Very impressive! And we absolutely loved the sound of Caliban’s cave: Freya’s ambition in seeking to introduce 4-8 year olds to The Tempest is extraordinary!’