A CROSS Hills student has been shortlisted in a prestigious county awards scheme.

Oliver Webster, 16, a pupil at South Craven School, is a nominee in the North Yorkshire County Council Community Awards.

He is in the running for the ‘young people volunteering’ award, given to individuals or groups of people aged 25 or under who carry out voluntary activities.

For the past three years, Oliver has helped out with Exclusively Inclusive, a community group tackling social isolation in the Skipton area.

He volunteers as a DJ at the group’s monthly club night, Club ViVA 52.

Oliver has also worked on Exclusively Inclusive’s allotment and taken a lead role in giving presentations showcasing what the group does.

Other nominees include Christopher Porter, who has been put forward for a Volunteer of the Year award. He carries out a range of roles, including helping out at South Craven Community Library in Cross Hills.

In total, 55 nominations were put forward in the Community Awards – and 15 have been shortlisted.

A panel of judges is visiting all those shortlisted this month and next, to choose the finalists.

The winner in each of the four categories will receive £1,000, for their group or a nominated charity, and there will be £250 runners-up awards.

Presentations will take place during the North Yorkshire Wider Partnership Conference, on October 25.

County council chairman, Jim Clark, pays tribute to all the nominees.

He said: “As always the standard was incredibly high, so I don’t envy the judges who had to compile the shortlist and now choose the finalists.

“These awards are a great way to recognise the tireless work of so many who make a real difference in their communities.”