Young people celebrated at Spelthorne Youth Awards

The awards celebrate the talents, resilience and community spirit of local young people and the positive contributions they make to their communities.

The ceremony took place on 18 March at the Holiday Inn in Shepperton where family members, teachers, councillors and community representatives gathered to celebrate the nominees and winners.

The event opened with a performance by a children’s choir from The Stewart Academy, followed by keyboard performances during the ceremony by Tilly Blake and Callum Hamlin from Matthew Arnold School, who each performed two pieces.

The Mayor of Spelthorne, Cllr John Doran, and Cllr Susan Doran, Chair of the Community Wellbeing and Housing Committee, presented certificates to all nominees and trophies to the winners. The Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, Michael More-Molyneux CVO, also attended the ceremony and joined the Mayor in delivering closing remarks congratulating the young people on their achievements.  

The 2026 Spelthorne Youth Award winners are:

Dylan Cook, age 15                                                               Arts achievement

Lauren Wagner, age 15                                                         Personal achievement

Luke Woad Mohammed, age 15                                          Community Spirit

Amelie Norriss, age 16 and Emelia Coates, age 14         Unselfishness, kindness and bravery

Anton Bilokurov, age 15                                                        Triumph over adversity

Sumit Gowder, age 7                                                             Academic achievement

Freya Woods, age 17                                                             Sports achievement

Each of the eight winners received a £50 prize in recognition of their achievements.

Local organisations also generously supported the event. Surplus-to-Supper provided 50 treat jars for all nominees, as well as eight hampers and eight mini-karaoke machines for the winners. Places for Leisure donated 160 five-day gym passes for nominees and eight six-week gym passes for the winners.

Cllr Susan Doran, Chair of the Community Wellbeing and Housing Committee, said: "The Spelthorne Youth Awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognise the exceptional young people in our borough. Each young person has been recognised for their own unique achievements, whether through academic success, sporting talent, creativity, resilience or their contribution to the community. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and grateful to the families, schools and community organisations who support them."

Spelthorne Borough Council would also like to thank the sponsors and everyone who supported the event. 

Photo credit: Surrey Films