Lucie and Megan Woodworth are officially Central England’s ‘Young Neighbour of the Year’
04 March 2022
- 10 and 14-year-old sisters from Stoke on Trent are Co-op Insurance and Neighbourhood Watch’s regional winners
Sisters from Stoke on Trent in Central England have been crowned as the regional winners in the UK’s Young Neighbour of the Year Awards hosted by Co-op Insurance and Neighbourhood Watch, for raising over £7,000 for various charities across the UK over the last few years.
Lucie and Megan Woodworth, 10 and 14-year-old pupils at Park Hall Academy and Blythe Bridge High School, not only carried out fundraising initiatives for many charities such as Retired Staffordshire Police Dogs, and Alzheimer’s Society, but they also installed a community defibrillator to ensure residents are always within a safe distance of the life-saving device.
The inspirational sisters are now in full swing organising yet another afternoon tea to host and fundraise for a second defibrillator to be installed. Lucie and Megan have only just completed another fundraiser for the Douglas Macmillan and Donna Louise Trust to help those with cancer throughout Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire. Raising a fantastic £1,500 for the cause they hope this will go some way towards aiding those patients requiring respite care.
Affordable Foods Stoke, a local charity within Stoke on Trent that are regularly assisted by the Co-Op Group are one of many charities that the sisters have aided over their 4-year fundraising journey, and this now continues as Megan volunteers each week as part of her Duke of Edinburgh award.
Lucie said: “We are so honoured to have won Young Neighbour of the Year in Central England; this really means so much. We love our community and love helping others and hope to continue this for many years to come.”
Megan added: “It’s been a difficult two years for everyone and we’re so happy that we could make a small contribution and help those less fortunate. Now we really want to keep going and continue to raise money for those who need it - it is something we’re both passionate about!”
Mother, Gemma, who nominated them adds: “When I found out that Lucie and Megan had won this award I was lost for words, this is truly amazing. I am so proud of them and all their hard work over the years, and I can’t wait to see what they achieve next!”
Charles Offord, managing director of Co-op Insurance, said: “The number of entries we received this year was amazing to see. It’s clear that so many young people are doing great things as neighbours, and Megan and Lucie really stood out and can be very proud of the work they have accomplished. It was heart-warming to read their story and all the incredible acts of kindness of young people all over the UK.”
John Hayward-Cripps, CEO of Neighbourhood Watch, said: “We are thrilled to crown Lucie and Megan as our Young Neighbour of the Year winners in Central England. Their hard work and passion for helping their community shone through and we hope their work will inspire many other young people to get out in their community and make a difference.”
The Co-op Insurance and Neighbourhood Watch Neighbour of the Year Awards, now in its fifth year, launched in 2018 to shine a light on the UK’s unsung heroes who are carrying out work in their communities to improve the lives of others. Winners are chosen in the categories of Neighbour, Young Neighbour and Community of the Year.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Media Enquiries: Jessica Edwards: jessica.edwards@halpern.co.uk Roxana Caia: roxana.caia@halpern.co.uk
About the Co-op: The Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives with interests across food, funerals, insurance, legal services and health. Owned by millions of UK consumers, the Co-op operates 2,500 food stores, over 800 funeral homes and provides products to over 5,100 other stores, including those run by independent co-operative societies and through its wholesale business, Nisa Retail Limited.
Employing over 62,000 people, the Co-op has an annual turnover of £11.5 billion. As well as having clear financial and operational objectives, the Co-op is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes. The Co-op exists to meet members’ needs and stand up for the things they believe in.
About Neighbourhood Watch: Neighbourhood Watch is the largest voluntary movement focused on crime prevention in England and Wales. Over 2.3 million people belong to local schemes supported by voluntary Associations. Neighbourhood Watch Network is an independent charity (registered in England and Wales 1173349) that acts as the movement's national umbrella organisation. Membership of Neighbourhood Watch schemes is open to all and is free, although local groups may request donations. Neighbourhood Watch's website address is ourwatch.org.uk, and the charity can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.