First Tina Award Winners

The First Tina Award Winners Announced

The Tina Award is an annual award presented to two young people at Children's Express in recognition of their achievement and contribution to the organisation.

The award is named after Tina Colcough, the Belfast Bureau Director who was sadly killed in a road accident in 2002.

The first ever Tina Awards were held this year. Members and staff from all over the UK nominated young people who had demonstrated a willingness to be involved in many different activities at Children's Express, including story work. The entries were judged upon how well members made a positive contribution to CE, showed good teamwork skills, supported and encouraged other members and improved their own personal development.

The overall winners were announced at this year's 10th anniversary birthday party, and they are … Jordan Daley and Nicole Lynch.

11-year old Jordan Daley won the 8 - 12 year olds category and is from the London Bureau. The judges said they "were impressed by how much Jordan has accomplished in the London Bureau even though he is only 10 and has not been a member of CE for long…his wide range of work, his sense of humour, his willingness to work hard and to have a go at anything, sets an excellent example to all CE's younger members."

Jordan says he was over the moon when he found out he won: "I feel really happy and I'm glad that I won. Thank you to the people that nominated me."

The overall winner of the 13 - 18 year old category was 15-year old Nicole Lynch from the Foyle bureau. The judges said she won unanimously: "she is an excellent communicator who is full of good ideas and has a natural writing ability. She is supportive of both staff and other members in the Foyle Bureau. She is often the first to try things out, yet she is also willing to listen to others and to encourage them. Her determination and enthusiasm has helped her to develop her own potential, but is also proving a great asset to CE. She is a very worthy winner of this award."

Nicole is well known for having plenty to say but she said she was lost for words when presented with her medal and prize at the 10th anniversary party. "I was really surprised I was chosen because I didn't think anybody would pick me," she says. "I have never actually met Tina but from what I heard I am really happy that somebody gave me an award in her name. She was a really good person."

The nominations for next year's Tina Award will take place in April. Good Luck.