A WOMAN who has helped set up a leisure scheme for children in Dunmow has this week been nominated for Intercounty Young People of the Year in Essex. Kerry Seddon, 23, of Claypit Piece, Saffron Walden, has been put forward for a YOPEY award which recognis

A WOMAN who has helped set up a leisure scheme for children in Dunmow has this week been nominated for Intercounty Young People of the Year in Essex.

Kerry Seddon, 23, of Claypit Piece, Saffron Walden, has been put forward for a YOPEY award which recognises and rewards young people for being positive role models, for her work on two youth leisure schemes in Dunmow and Saffron Walden.

It means she is in line for a cash prize with a top prize of £1000 and a total of £3000 to give away to young people, aged 10-25, who give to others.

Miss Seddon said: "I'm thrilled to be nominated. I love doing the work, I find it so rewarding. It's nice to know that people think I'm doing a good job and think highly enough of me to put my name forward for this award."

The person who nominated Miss Seddon was Alison McKeown, deputy manager of Accuro, the charity that socialises young people with disabilities, learning difficulties and behavioural problems so they can lead lives as normal as possible.

"Kerry is our secret weapon," said Mrs McKeown. "We always used to have trouble recruiting volunteers because as parents we're seen as 'old people'.

"But Kerry can go into a school and say it's cool to be a volunteer because I'm a young person."

The two Uttlesford schemes are attended by about 40 young people with disabilities each week. One of Kerry's jobs is to recruit young volunteers, of which she has 10 volunteers in Saffron Walden and 20 in Dunmow.

Miss Seddon is two years into a social work degree with the Open University. If she wins one of the cash prizes she has said she will donate the money to the causes she works for.

Young People of the Year has been expanded to all of Essex and the prize pot increased to £3000. The deadline has been extended to Monday October 15.