AN AWARD for children who show courage and kindness beyond their years is being sponsored by one of York's leading audio visual firms.

Saville Audio Visual is returning to back Community Pride's Child of the Year for 2016 and recognise the city's bravest youngsters.

A spokesman for the York business said: "Saville Audio Visual has a long history with the community in York dating back to the original Saville Chemist shop in Goodramgate in 1876.

"We are passionate about our involvement with the city and are honoured to once again sponsor the Child of the Year category.

"These awards are truly deserved by all the nominees and the Community Pride awards provide the perfect opportunity to recognize the amazing bravery and courage demonstrated by the children of York in battling the great challenges they face in their everyday lives."

Last year's joint winners were Poppy Wadsworth and Vahri Watson.

Each of the finalists showed courage and selflessness, and the judges could not separate their achievements.

Vahri picked up her award for countless acts of kindness and donations to charity.

She has already donated all her pocket money to good causes and raised £500 through various activities for the NSPCC, Children In Need, Help The Heroes, Water Aid, the Being A Girl campaign and Women’s Aid.

Brave Poppy was born with a congenital birth condition called cloaca, which occurs in only one in 50,000 children.

The condition meant several of her internal organs were not properly separated and she spent much of her young life in hospital.

However, her family and friends raised £50,000 to send her to the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, after doctors offered to contribute half the cost of a £100,000 corrective operation.

The operation went well and Poppy returned home to Upper Poppleton in time for Christmas 2015.

The Community Pride Awards are sponsored by Benenden and jointly run by The Press and City of York Council.

All nominees must live in, or contribute to life in, the City of York Council area. Around three finalists from each category will be invited to the awards ceremony at York Racecourse in October, when the winners will be revealed.

You can make a nomination at yorkpress.co.uk/pride, explaining why you think the person deserves to win an award.

Entries can be submitted until Friday, July 15, when a judging panel will then pick a winner in each category.