The search is on to find Yorkshire's most courageous young people

The sixth Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards (YCCA) will take place at New Dock Hall in Leeds on October 14, hosted by BBC Breakfast presenter Steph McGovern.

Among the previous award winners who helped YCCA ambassadors the Chuckle Brothers launch this year’s search for nominees at a party at the Headingley Experience last night was Leeds streetdance star Junior Frood.

Junior was 11 years old when he picked up the sporting achievement award at last year’s event in recognition of his talents - which have seen him ranked third in the world.

Since scooping the award, he has been selected to represent the UK in a showcase of the best street dancers in the world at Wembley Arena this July, and become a semi-finalist in a national competition run by the Youth Sport Trust for Under 18s.

Also attending were children from the three local community groups nominated for public voting in the Group Award category - Martin House Children’s Hospice in Wetherby; the Riding for the Disabled Group at Follifoot Park, Harrogate; and The Sick Children’s’ Trust, a national charity with facilities across Yorkshire.

The awards are organised by the Leeds committee of the St James’s Place Foundation, which has raised more than £46m for deserving charities over the last 23 years.

Last year’s event, the biggest yet, recognised the outstanding bravery, caring, courage, sporting achievement and fundraising skills of 12 Yorkshire children - as well as raising £115,000 for the Foundation.

Awards founder and Leeds representative of the Foundation, Stephen Mitchell, said: “There are some fantastic children out there who show amazing courage and caring every day, and recognising them is first and foremost our focus on the night.

“Last year we received a record amount of nominations, which made it a real challenge, and we’re hoping to hear from as many people again this time round.”

Also at last night’s launch event were fellow ambassadors, comedians Billy Pearce and Britain’s Got talent star Jack Carroll, and Leeds Rhinos player Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

Missing though was this year’s newest ambassador, Doncaster One Direction star Louis Tomlinson.

Mr Mitchell said: “We’re always trying to raise the profile of the awards, so having Louis as an ambassador has been a real coup.”

Mr Tomlinson said both children and Yorkshire were two things that were close to his heart.

He added: “ It was a very easy yes when I was kindly asked to be an ambassador for the Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards.

“What these children achieve really is extraordinary, and I look forward to celebrating their bravery, generosity, selflessness and courage.”

Yorkshire Post Newspapers is the media partner of the awards, and in the run up to the event will be sharing the stories of some of the brave youngsters who have been nominated for awards.

The Yorkshire Post’s managing editor Nicola Furbisher said: “We are delighted to be once again be involved with the Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards and urge our readers to support the awards by nominating worthy children.”

Tickets for the October Awards Dinner are on public sale and nominations for deserving children can be made via the website www.yorkshirechildren.co.uk

Companies can book a table for 10 people for £750 or individual tickets for £80.

Awards history

Launched in 2011, the Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards combine honouring and recognising courageous young people in Yorkshire with raising funds for St. James’s Place Foundation.

The Foundation is the charitable arm of the St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group, and since 1992 has raised and distributed more than £46m to hundreds of charities that work for the direct benefit of economically disadvantaged or socially marginalised young people, the physically disabled, or those suffering from a mental condition or life-threatening or degenerative illness.