NOMINATIONS will soon be welcomed for Bovey Tracey’s Young Citizen of the Year 2018.

The town council has appointed deputy mayor Cllr Janet Blair to take charge of next year’s award.

Cllr Tony Allen is handing the reins over to Cllr Blair after establishing the awards in 2012 and managing them since then.

He said: ‘After five years running them I felt it was time someone else took it over. Jan has been helping already so she is the ideal person to take it on.’

Clr Allen explained: ‘The idea for the awards came from PCSO Paul Wilson. He felt youngsters were getting a bad press and all the good things they do wasn’t being recognised.

‘I put his idea forward to the town council who picked it up and ran with it.

‘I hope to still help out with the judging, along with Paul Wilson and Rev Kevin Hooke.’

Cllr Allen added: ‘It has been immensely rewarding to be involved in the awards, and it’s the highlight of our annual town meeting.

‘We receive plenty of nominations from schools in the area, I only wish more people from the town nominated youngsters for their good works.’

Mark Wells, Bovey Tracey Town Council clerk, said: ‘We’ll be launching the award early in the new year, with a closing date for nominations at the end of February. We’ll announce the winner at next year’s annual town meeting on Wednesday, March 28.’