Social Action Star Of The Year Award: Team Welly Wagners Needs Your Vote

A local group of young people known as Team Welly Wagners from Rotherham United Community Sports Trust are hoping to be crowned NCS Social Action Stars of the year after being named regional finalists in the prestigious award presented by Santander.

The 17-strong team of young people from Rotherham beat hundreds of NCS youth social action projects from across England and Northern Ireland to be shortlisted as regional finalists for their social action project aimed at raising money and awareness of homelessness. Shocked to find out 100,000 young people run away from home each year, Team Welly Wagners wrote, produced and recorded their own song, ‘Teary Skies’. Proceeds for the song, available on iTunes, go to Sheffield based teen homeless charity Safe@Last.

The Social Action Star Awards is a unique chance to celebrate young people’s incredible achievements on NCS, the country’s flagship youth empowerment programme and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity open to 15-17 year olds across England. In 2016 alone, NCS participants dedicated more than 2.3 million hours to social action.

Rotherham’s Team Welly Wagners now face four other regional finalists in a public vote closing at midnight on Tuesday 24 January 2017. The team, comprising Poppy, Rhiannon, Sam, Bethany, Janel, Niamh, Elizabeth, Ellie, Kaleb, Dave, Georgia, Charlotte, Owen, Holly, Maria, Anika and Gabi, are hoping to secure the most votes to be crowned national champions.

The regional finalists were judged by a high-profile panel of judges including YouTube star, entrepreneur and NCS Patron, Jamal Edwards MBE; NCS CEO, Michael Lynas; Craig Baines, Divisional Change Manager, Santander, and last year’s Social Action Star winners, Team Brah.

Jamal Edwards, YouTube star, entrepreneur and NCS Patron, said: “I’m always amazed and inspired when I hear about the social action projects that NCS grads have been delivering in their communities. They’ve clocked up millions of hours doing incredible work, making a difference to the lives of others right across the country. Teenagers today are more socially aware than ever and they also know that helping and caring about others makes them feel great too! For me, all of the young people nominated this year are stars.”

Dominic Stigas-Packzo, NCS Manager for EFL Trust said, “We are delighted that Team Welly Wagners have been shortlisted for the Social Action Star Awards. The Social Action Star Awards are an opportunity to shine a light on them and inspire other teenagers to get involved. I would urge anyone to take look at the video they have written and produced, it really is fantastic and testament to both Rotherham United Community Sports Trust and each member of the group for going well beyond expectations”.

Poppy, Team Welly Wagners member, said: “People should vote for us because we have worked so hard over the course of the project. It has brought a group of 15 young people together from different walks of life to produce something amazing and taught us to think creatively, work as a team and thrive under pressure.”

To vote for Team Welly Wagners to be crowned winners of the NCS Social Action Star Award, visit www.ncsyes.co.uk/social-action-star-awards.