Nominations are Now Open for the Pride of Somerset Youth Awards 2025
By Jill Dando News
The Pride of Somerset Youth Awards (POSYA) honours remarkable achievements of young individuals throughout the county who have made their families, friends, or community proud over the last twelve months.
Founded by the Rotary Club of Taunton, and now in their 18th year, the awards celebrate the often unsung heroes among our Somerset young people.
They are dedicated to recognising inspirational efforts, accomplishments, unwavering determination and selfless actions.
2025 looks to be the biggest year yet for the awards, with several fantastic sponsors from advocates of Somerset, including Passion for Somerset CIC, Yeo Valley, Somerset County Gazette, and Bridgwater & Taunton College.
Andy Berry, Principal and CEO of Bridgwater & Taunton College said “We are delighted to sponsor these awards. Young people from across the County go above and beyond, often in the face of adversity, achieving amazing things. This is an opportunity to reflect on and recognise their achievements. I am looking forward to hearing their amazing stories and celebrating their accomplishments.”
Nigel Muers-Raby, CEO of Passion for Somerset, added “Passion for Somerset champions Somerset locally, nationally and internationally. It is a privilege to be such a pivotal part of this prestigious event and celebrate the incredible young people throughout our county. There are so many truly inspirational acts and accomplishments that go unnoticed, it is wonderful to have the opportunity to commend these young people in such a special way.”
The award categories range from Charity / Volunteer Hero and the Young Person of the Year Award to the Sandy Padgett and Sporting Achievement Awards.
Each aim to spotlight any young person in the county who has demonstrated outstanding generosity, courage, talent, and dedication.
This year’s event will see the introduction of a new award, the Peter Renshaw Outstanding Educational Achiever Award which is dedicated to the memory of Peter Renshaw, whose unwavering support for young people and commitment to education made a lasting impact on the community.
All nominations come from Somerset’s public, with the winners selected by a panel of judges comprised of local business leaders, public figures, and dedicated champions of various Somerset communities.
An award ceremony will take place on Wednesday 21 May 2025, 6.30pm-9pm at The McMillan Theatre, Bridgwater. This will be a truly special evening filled with pride, joy, and above all, the brilliant stories our award winners.
Do you know of a young individual who deserves recognition? You can nominate them today via our online portal here. All nominees must be under the age of 21. The last date to submit nominations is Monday 3 March 2025.
You can get the latest updates on the awards by following Pride of Somerset Youth Awards 2025 on Facebook and Instagram.
About the Awards
The Pride of Somerset Youth Awards 2025 is proud to work with a collection of fantastic partners that make this possible. With 11 awards categories in total, each sponsor has selected an award that they are passionate about and can advocate for.
Art & Culture Award | Sponsored by University Centre Somerset
Care Award | Sponsored by the Somerset County Gazette
Championing Positive Mental Health Award | Sponsored by Bounce Forward
Charity / Volunteer Hero | Sponsored by Young Somerset
Community Hero | Sponsored by Bridgwater & Taunton College
Environmental Award | Sponsored by Yeo Valley
Outstanding Courage Award | Sponsored by Somerset Larder
Peter Renshaw Outstanding Educational Achiever Award | Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Taunton
Sandy Padgett Award | Sponsored by Avon & Somerset Police
Sporting Achievement Award | Sponsored by Passion for Somerset
Young Person of Year Award | Sponsored by PROMISEworks
