Comedian backs awards that gave him the courage to progress

Comedian Jack Carroll was 12 years old when he won the Fundraiser of the Year award at the Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards in 2011.

It was the first of many accolades for Jack, who has cerebral palsy.

He went on to be nominated at the in the 2012 Pride of Britain Awards where he won Teenager of Courage Award, and the following year, his comedic talents saw the teenager, from Hipperholme near Halifax, place as runner up in the 2013 Britain’s Got Talent competition.

He is supporting the search for this year’s youngsters who are set to be celebrated at a glamorous ceremony for the fifth Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards at New Dock Hall in Leeds in October.

Jack, who is now an actor, is currently filming the second series of Trollied for Sky and is an ambassador for the awards, which last year raised in excess of £100,000 for the St James’s Place Foundation, which supports charities and organisations helping disadvantaged children in Yorkshire.

He said: “I really encourage people to nominate children and young adults for these awards – they really were the start of great things to come for me. And more importantly they gave me the courage I needed to progress.”

Nominations for the awards, which include categories for outstanding bravery, sporting achievement, young carer and a group award, close this Wednesday, July 29 and can be made via www.yorkshirechildren.co.uk.

Tickets are also on sale via the website for the ceremony on October 16, which will be hosted by BBC Breakfast journalist Steph McGovern. The Yorkshire Post is a media partner of the awards, whose ambassadors also include children’s entertainers The Chuckle Brothers.