A TAVISTOCK college student has won the Lions Club of Tavistock's Young Ambassador of the Year award.

Amy Dymond, a 17- year-old student in Year 13 at Tavistock College, recently attended a meeting of the club where she gave a presentation on her volunteering work within the local youth community. Following this, she was presented with her award by Carole Gawn, the president of the club.

The Lions Young Ambassador was first organised in 1974 as the Lions Youth Award.

It acknowledges the work of young people working as volunteers and gives them the recognition they deserve, boosting their confidence in themselves and highlighting the charities and volunteer groups with which they are involved.

There are awards at different levels — club, district, UK final, and eventually the european final.

Lion Alan Wroath, who organised the selection process on behalf of the club, said: 'Amy is a very worthy winner; she deserves the award not just because she is a wonderful ambassador for young people and not just because she spends a lot of her time working voluntarily, but also because she inspires others to do the same.'

Amy is the chairperson of Tavistock Youth Café, which provides facilities for young people to meet and to engage in activities such as music.

Amy said: 'We also aim to help vulnerable young people as, like in many small towns, there is very little for young people to do and we help to give them somewhere positive to go.'

Manager of the Youth Café, Vicki Lloyd, said: 'She is a total asset to the Youth Café and a very bright, considerate, caring person' and recently she persuaded the leader of Devon County Council to help with funding to repair the floor of our building in Pixon Lane. She is a very resourceful young lady!

'She has helped raise money by organising theme days – such as National Pirate Day, raised money for St Luke's Hospice and baked numerous cakes in aid of charities — her "Rocky Road" is legendary!'

Amy now moves on to the district final of the Young Ambassador Award, where, if she is successful, she will win £500 which will go towards a very important music project and an evening to showcase the work of the young people at the Café.

This will be part of the appeal for a desperately needed new building for the Youth Café.