COURAGEOUS and generous people who have made a positive difference to people’s lives will be honoured at an awards ceremony organised by the police.

Twelve young people – some from Worcestershire and Herefordshire – are invited to the annual gala event at the West Mercia Police HQ at Hindlip Hall on Thursday.

The award is presented by the force in partnership with local education authorities to recognise young people aged 18 and under who have made an outstanding contribution to their community in the last year.

They are nominated for their acts of generosity, displays of community spirit or acts of outstanding courage that have made a difference to other people’s lives.

The winner will be chosen by Chief Constable Paul West as Good Citizen of the Year.

Mr West said: “The Good Citizen Award is important to West Mercia Police and very close to my heart because for a number of years the award has highlighted the exceptional contribution many young people make to local communities across West Mercia. “ Twins Michelle and Lauren Clarke, both 18, were nominated by Pershore High School after visiting Zambia last year as part of a Global Schools Partnership, helping raise more than £8,000 to bring nine Zambian students back to Pershore in June.

The twins, both young leaders for the Guides, also raised £500 for litter picking in the community.

Daniel Hart, aged 18, also nominated by Pershore High School, is secretary of Interact, a fund-raising group at Pershore High School.

Daniel is also a member of St John Ambulance Cadets, has achieved the Level 1 British Sign Language Award and helps regularly at a crèche at Pershore Baptist Church. He is working towards the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award and has also raised money this year for Children in Need and Comic Relief.

Jemma Hill, aged 14, of Ledbury was nominated by neighbours Janet Meredith and Peta Barnes Jemma made efforts to try and save the life of an elderly relative on July 28 last year.

Her great-uncle collapsed outside his Ledbury home and she performed CPR for around half an hour, refusing to give up and stopping only when paramedics arrived. She remained calm, remembering first aid sessions at her primary school two years earlier.

Sadly, her efforts were unsuccessful, but as a result of her actions a project between West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the local community has seen some 30 people trained to operate defibrillation units, and there are plans to site three units in Ledbury.