A YORK educational campaigner and an optometrist who works in the city are shortlisted for the Yorkshire Asian Young Achiever Awards 2022.

Dubbed the YAYAs, the awards launched in 2020 to celebrate young people aged 16 to 30 of South Asian heritage who were born, are living or are working in Yorkshire, and have overcome disadvantages to progress.

Among the 33 shortlisted candidates are Ekansh Kapoor, the vice-president for the Graduate Students Association of the University of York, ran a campaign to waive off continuation fees of research students, which impacted 1,000 PHD students.

He has also lobbied for family study spaces at the university library services.

Benji Chandra, an optometrist who works at York Hospitals, has been nominated for helping homeless people in Leeds through his voluntary work with Vision Care.

QED Foundation, a registered charity which exists to improve the social and economic position of disadvantaged communities in partnership with public, private and civil society organisations, organised the awards.

Dr Mohammed Ali OBE, QED founder and chief executive, said: "We are absolutely thrilled with the quality of entries from across Yorkshire.

"Many have overcome great obstacles to achieve what they have and it’s wonderful to be able to share their stories with a wider audience and highlight their successes and achievements in such a positive way.”

This year's ceremony will be at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford on Friday, November 11, hosted by BBC TV and Radio presenter and comedian, Noreen Khan.