Grace has been a member of the Jarrow YMCA youth group for the past six years. In that time, she has become instrumental in inspiring her peers to volunteer and give back to the community – from organising coffee mornings for the elderly and volunteering in the local community garden, to helping tidy up the cemetery so that everyone can enjoy a clean, well-loved space to visit their loved ones.
Grace has had a challenging background and home life, and over the years has struggled with family illness and bereavement, but in the face of all of this, she has shown amazing strength and resilience.
Grace has so much empathy for others, especially those who seem to be most in need of support – she sees inequality and feels that she must act to help. She also actively fundraises for a local charity, St Vincent de Paul Jarrow, by coordinating walks, fayres and coffee mornings.
Grace has also been an active member of the Central Jarrow Big Local Partnership Board for almost two years, where she has voting rights in decision making and contributes a young person’s perspective. Grace hopes to become a Youth and Community Worker in the future, and is a credit to YMCA.