A dedicated team promoting children and young peoples' mental health across Slough and Bracknell has been shortlisted for a top award.

East Berkshire Young Health Champions have been shortlisted for a Children and Young People Now Award - a gold standard for any group working with young people and families.

The Chmpions formed when Bracknell Forest Council and the Slough based youth charity Aik Saath teamed up in partnership with NHS East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group - and their nomination is for the best 'partnership working' award.

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The Young Health Champions programme is aimed at 14 to 24-year-olds who want to help their peers develop a healthier lifestyle and make their voice heard around health and wellbeing issues.

It also enables them to earn an important Level 2 qualification that can get them started in careers in the health field.

Rob Deeks, Chief Executive at Aik Saath said “We are proud to be a part of the Young Health Champions programme and for our work in the local area to be shortlisted alongside national organisations working across the UK is a huge achievement in itself.

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"When we started in 218 we were involved with just four schools in Slough.

"Now Aik Saath has trained 44 students from 11 schools for the level two qualification.

"Perhaps the most significant thing for me was when we took them to the primary schools to talk to children there about health - and you could see how younger children responded to being spoken to by their peers instead of adults."

This year the awards will be celebrated with an extra special virtual ceremony on 4 March 2021 @ 4pm