A DYSLEXIC teenager who spends hours helping other young people in his community has been nominated for an award.

Harry Partridge has been nominated for a Mitsubishi Electric Young People of the Year (YOPEY) award for his voluntary work in Crow country.

A pupil at The Meridian School, Royston, Harry is a member of the school council, and is involved in a lot of fundraising, particularly in memory of English teacher Paul Bushell, who died last summer from a brain tumour.

Harry was involved in organising an Easter egg hunt, selling cakes and selling bandanas for the cause. So far the school has raised over £1,200 for the brain tumour foundation.

His senior tutor, Sarah Webb, nominated Harry because he is a positive role model for others.

She said: “Harry is always modest about his contribution to the community.

“He has a real gift for helping others and devotes hours of each week helping with different groups of young children in order to help them develop new skills and build their confidence.”

Out of school, the Fieldfare Way resident is a team leader at Hertfordshire Choi Kwang-Do club, which practices the martial art similar to taekwondo.

He helps out at the 1st Royston cubs, and is a leader at the Open Doors Youth Club at Queen’s Road Methodist Church.

He said: “Helping at school takes my mind off things such as struggling with studies and learning for exams.”

Of his dyslexia, the 14-year-old added: “It’s quite annoying sometimes, but I have learned to work hard and to do my best.”

Harry is in the running for the Herts YOPEY prize, and there is still time to nominate inspiration teenagers from Hertfordshire or Cambridgeshire to take part in the contest, with separate competitions for each county.

The deadline for entries is July 31. To nominate, log on to www.yopey.org or write, enclosing an SAE, to YOPEY, Woodfarm Cottage, Bury Road, Stradishall, Newmarket CB8 8YN for paper entry form.

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony later this year.

YOPEYs are supported by many organisations across both counties, including Royston company Johnson Matthey, Melbourn consultancy TTP Group and North Hertfordshire District Council.