Celebrating Newcastle’s young changemakers: Community Champion Awards 2025
The Community Champion Awards are returning for another year. These awards shine a well-deserved spotlight on the incredible young people making a difference in Newcastle schools and communities.
Bigger, brighter, and more inspiring than ever, this initiative is a fantastic way to recognise and celebrate the kindness, courage, and creativity of our region’s young people.
Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said: “The North East is full of brilliant young people doing incredible things in their schools and communities, and these awards are a fantastic way to celebrate them.
“While every area of the region has so much to be proud of, this programme is a great opportunity to recognise the outstanding young changemakers in Newcastle specifically.
“We’d like to encourage schools across the city to get involved and nominate their inspiring students – it’s a chance to celebrate the compassion, creativity and leadership that make our region so special.”
A growing celebration of youth achievement
Originally launched by Northern Leaders Trust and proudly hosted at Kenton School for the past two years, the awards have grown in popularity and impact. This year, the awards see Association of Education Advisers (AoEA) as joint main sponsors, helping to strengthen the reach and influence of the awards..
With support from a wide range of local businesses and organisations, individual award categories celebrate qualities such as community spirit, environmental leadership, and personal courage.
Lee Kirtley, CEO of Northern Leaders Trust and founder of the awards, said: “Every year, we are humbled by the stories of young people who go above and beyond to help others. Their energy, compassion and determination are what make our region so special.
“This year, with AoEA joining us as main sponsors, we’re delighted to see the awards continue to grow and inspire the local community throughout the Newcastle area.”
Les Walton, CEO, founder and chair of AoEA, added: “We have been involved in the awards for the last two years, so we were thrilled when the opportunity arose to become joint sponsor.
“As an organisation that is heavily involved in education, we are always keen to highlight some of the great things the region’s young people get up to and the kindness and generosity within our communities.”
How schools can get involved
The awards are open to all young people under 18 attending a primary, secondary, or post-16 institution in Newcastle — including local authority schools, academies, independent schools, faith schools, and schools for children with special needs.
Nominations can be made by teachers, youth leaders, parents, or friends, making it easy for schools to recognise their standout students.
The ceremony will take place on Thursday 12 February 2026 at the Vertu Arena, home of the Newcastle Eagles, with a night full of entertainment, inspirational stories, and special guests.
Demonstrating the true power of community in the North East, generous local sponsors have arranged for winners to receive retail and book vouchers worth £200, and there are still opportunities for businesses to get involved.
At Schools North East, we encourage all Newcastle schools to nominate their young champions, helping to celebrate the energy, compassion, and achievements of the next generation.
Nominate a Young Champion Today
It only takes five minutes to nominate a young person who deserves recognition. Visit northernleaderstrust.org to make a nomination and help inspire our communities.
Local businesses interested in supporting the awards can contact philippa.clothier@clothierlacey.co.uk.
Together, we can make the 2025 Community Champion Awards the biggest and most inspiring yet.