A call has gone out to young people in the Soham area to step forward and be counted as the best of British youth. A new bank in Cambridgeshire has launched a competition aimed at showing the positive side to young people today. Clydesdale Bank Young People of the Year 2006 ­ or YOPEY for short ­ is putting up cash prizes totalling £2,000 for youngsters who help others in Cambridgeshire area which includes Soham.

Martin Guildford, managing partner of the bank, which opened its doors at Hills Road, Cambridge, earlier this year, said: "Everywhere you look nowadays young people are being condemned. It's almost as if every one of them is a binge-drinking, drug-taking, violent 'hoody'." Yet Mr Guildford added: "The truth is there are many young people in Cambridge and the surrounding towns and villages doing wonderful things for others. It's just that they live in the shadow of a well-publicised, anti-social minority." The bank wants to give more prominence to good young people in the Cambridge area including Soham and the surrounding villages. So it is sponsoring the Clydesdale Bank Young People of the Year 2006. YOPEY is open to young people aged up to 23 this year who live, work or study in the area. They can enter themselves or be nominated as individuals or groups.

The prizes are divided into senior and junior categories. The senior category is for those aged 14 and above. The winner will receive £1,000 ­ £500 for themselves and £500 for their supporting organisation. The junior category is open to those aged up to 13 and the winner will receive £500. ­ £250 for themselves and £250 for their supporting organisation. A runner-up in each category will receive £250 ­ £125 for themselves and £125 for their support organisation. A supporting organisation is a body that works with young people, such as a school, charity or youth organisation. Relatives, friends or work colleagues can nominate but they cannot be a supporting organisation.

"With everyone's help, YOPEY will Reveal, Recognise, Reward young unsung heroes in the Soham area," said Mr Guildford. "Together we can help correct the bad image of young people today, and encourage more good behaviour through the excellent examples of YOPEY prize-winners as positive role models." The kind of activities YOPEY Reveals, Recognises, Rewards' include:-

Caring for members of your family;
Raising money for charity and other good causes;
Helping run a club or other organization;
Working with disabled, ill or elderly people;
Looking after abandoned or neglected animals;
Mentoring or supporting someone through a difficult time;
Doing volunteer work on various projects at home or abroad.

"The list is actually endless. The only criteria is that the entry does something for others," said Mr Guildford, who gave further examples: "If you're a school, we want to hear about pupils who help run an event or support a friend through a difficult time. If you're a junior football club, we're looking for youngsters who help the adults run the club. They may or may not be your highest goal scorer but it's what they do off the ball that interests us more." Clydesdale Bank believes some young people will be too modest to put themselves forward so it will be enlisting the help of schools across the competition area. YOPEY will also ask youth organisations, such as the Scouts and Guides, to nominate people. "But we don't want the nominations to stop there," said Mr Guildford. "We want people in Soham and the surrounding villages to keep a look-out for good young people and say "Have you entered the Clydesdale Bank YOPEY? If not, I'll nominate you".

The Clydesdale Bank YOPEY will close to entries in February 2006 with an Awards Ceremony in April 2006.  Praise has come in for the new competition from all over the area including:

South East Cambridgeshire MP Jim Paice who said: "Far more young people make a positive contribution to their communities than terrorise them in 'hoodies' and it is great to hear that a new local competition will be recognising that."

The Chairman of East Cambridgeshire District Council, Councillor Jeremy Friend-Smith, said: "It is uplifting to look through the previous YOPEY award winners and read of so many more youngsters who have done so much to help improve the lives of other people. We have many excellent, caring teenagers in our district and I am sure some of them deserve to be acknowledged. The YOPEY awards are a most admirable way of recognizing the achievements of those youngsters who set out to serve others less fortunate."

The Chair of Soham Town Council, Mrs Rosemary Aitchison, said: "Soham Town Council welcomes Clydesdale Bank's sponsorship of a Young People of the Year competition in the area. We fully support initiatives that recognize young people's involvement with and commitment to a very wide variety of ventures in our town."

There are many ways to enter or nominate for the Clydesdale Bank Young People of the Year 2006. Visit www.youngpeopleoftheyear.org and click on the Clydesdale Bank YOPEY logo to find an online form, or write to Young People of the Year, PO Box 103, Hare Street, Ware SG9 0XD, requesting a paper entry form. Any questions E-Mail hello@youngpeopleoftheyear.org or call this local-rate number 0845 838 2640.