The 11th SSAFA Forces Help Young Achievers Award Ceremony was held recently at the Rheindahlen Rooms, JHQ.
The ceremony acknowledges and celebrates the outstanding personal achievements of children across BFG who have been nominated by teachers, family and members of the BFG community. As always, BFBS Presenter, Sim Courtie, hosted the event with his usual wit and charm and presented the children with a framed certificate, a specially designed glass commemorative paper weight and a goody bag.
Sim Courtie with the Young Achievers
He said “I can’t believe I’ve been coming here for 11 years and it just seems to get better and better. There are 19 children here today all with their unique stories and all great achievers not just against adversity in their own families but there are fund raisers and carers – a real broad range of kids of all ages”.
SSAFA Volunteer Development Manager, Eric Manca said “It’s great to see the children and learn how they’re meeting their challenges. It’s wonderful to have Sim back with us again. He is always brilliant and has such enthusiasm”.
Chief Executive of SSAFA Forces Help, Major General (retd) Andrew Cumming, was also in attendance and it was his third visit to the annual event. He said “It’s a tremendous day and what we see here are examples of children who in many different ways stand out from the crowd either because they or a member of their family has been ill, or because they are just doers or creators. What is really interesting today is for the first time we saw many children who have been adopted and have adapted their lives within a service family at quite a late stage in their lives and they appear to have settled in so well”. |
