| Brave Steph scoops 'Urban Hero' Award |
 Brave Steph scoops ‘Urban Hero’ AwardAt a time when young people are more regularly portrayed in a negative light, the recipients of The Message Trust Urban Hero Awards show how they are playing a vital and positive role. The Message Trust is an award-winning Christian charity working to improve the lives of young people in Manchester. Each award winner has overcome serious obstacles – drug addiction, tough backgrounds, and in the case of the overall Urban Hero of the Year winner Stephanie North, 17, from Openshaw, Manchester, violent bullying, to emerge as heroes. Back in 2008, Steph began hanging around with a new group of friends. Though they had seemed friendly to begin with, they began to change and one night turned on Steph and violently attacked her, breaking her nose and leaving her with two black eyes. The police were involved and charges were made. Steph was encouraged by her youth workers to stand up and tell the truth. She chose to pursue justice to make sure it wouldn’t happen again to others. Steph took her attackers to court, despite a lot of intimidation from others in the community. ‘To do that when people know where you live is really hard,’ explains Openshaw community worker Pete Askew. ‘In communities where crime is high, the only thing that can make a difference sometimes is to say “No, we’re not willing to say nothing… we’re going to speak out against what’s happened.” ‘It’s been really quite a tough thing – she’s not the sort of person who normally mouths off at people so it’s taken a lot of courage and that’s why we think she’s well deserving of this award.’ Like Steph, all the Urban Hero Award winners have been directly impacted by The Message Trust’s work in schools, communities and prisons across Greater Manchester. Other winners include: a former drug addict now helping to mentor other young men at risk of addiction; a inspirational sixteen year old living with cerebral palsy; a youth worker who gave up a highly successful business and moved to one of Manchester’s toughest estates to work with young people; and a recently released young offender who has turned his life around in prison. The Message Trust (www.message.org.uk) is driven by Christian values and aims to bring hope, provide opportunities and release potential. Last year The Message’s projects had contact with some 100,000 young people. |
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