A YOUNG girl from York has been nominated for a Community Pride award for keeping spirits high around her community with her own project.

Lottie Brown, who lives in the Fulford area, has been nominated for the Good Neighbour of the Year award.

Lottie, 7, has been nominated by her mother, Louise, who has helped her carry out her own special project ever since they moved to the city four years ago.

Louise has helped her daughter carry out her ‘kindness’ project called ‘Fulford Rocks’- where she has been painting rocks and hiding them around the city for people to find to “make them smile and improve their day.”

Louise said: “We started the project for Lottie as we thought it would be a good way to get to know people when we moved here from West Yorkshire.

“We have had some really positive messages from people in the community and Lottie has made a lot of friends through it.”

They have a Facebook page titled ‘Fulford Rocks’ which pictures are posted on and people can also request Lottie to paint some rocks for them.

Lottie, who attends St Oswalds CE Primary School in Fulford often gives the rocks as gifts to her friends for birthdays and other occasions.

While at school, Lottie also has a stall where she sells to rocks to raise money to give back to the school.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Lottie has also been painting rocks for the NHS workers with their names and rainbows on.

Louise said: “She has a huge heart full of kindness and care. I am so very proud of her.

“She is a complete ray of sunshine. She really loves encouraging other people to be creative, adults and children.”

As well as sharing her rocks with others, Lottie also has her own collection spread around her garden for residents passing by to see.

Louise and Lottie gather the rocks from local gardeners who have no use for them.

As well as Good Neighbour of the Year, the other awards include the Person of the Year Spirit of Youth Award, Sporting Hero, Charity Fundraiser, Public Sector Hero, Best Community Project, School of the Year, Child of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and and Health Service Hero.

Entries can be posted to York Community Pride Awards, The Press, 84-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN. Or you can submit your nomination on The Press website.

The closing date for entries is Friday, July 24. Nominations must include a supporting statement of no more than two sides of A4 with each entry and should include a photograph, which we cannot return.