A YOUNG fundraiser, who has taken on seven challenges for different charities, has been nominated for a Community Pride award.

Alba Stogden, 6, has been nominated for the Child of the Year prize in this year's awards.

Earlier this year, Alba took on the challenge of walking around 70 miles from Castleford in West Yorkshire to Scarborough in North Yorkshire to raise money for the suicide prevention charity, Papyrus.

But this was not Alba's first time fundraising, as she had already completed seven challenges to support the work of different mental health charities.

In March 2021, Alba took on her first fundraiser - walking more than 820,000 steps and raising almost £4,000 for Samaritans. She also held a huge community Easter egg hunt, which raised lots of money and awareness - as well as bringing the community together.

Her mum, Sophie Stogden, said: "Ever since Alba's first fundraiser, we have been nothing but proud. She has walked her brightly coloured odd socks off with every mile she takes and is making such a difference to so many.

"She just wants people to see the person behind the stigma of mental health and to help as many as she can while having one big adventure."

Some of her other fundraisers include collecting 100 bags of rubbish in a week, all while raising money for the Young Minds charity, walking 200 miles in a month and clocking up more than one million steps with her mum in November and December last year.

The awards, which are run in partnership with City of York Council, feature both individual and group categories in order to celebrate the dedicated fundraisers, public sector workers, teachers and community volunteers throughout the city.

The categories in this year’s awards include Volunteer of the Year, Charity Fundraiser, Child of the Year, Sporting Hero, Best Community Project, Health Service Hero, Mental Health Award, Spirit of Youth, YCP Person of the Year, Carer of the Year and Public Sector Hero.

Nominations are now closed for this year's Community Pride awards - and will open again in early next year.

Nigel Burton, editor of The Press, said: “There is an astonishing number of people working behind the scenes across the York area to make life easier for others less fortunate than themselves.

“They do so selflessly, without any thought of thanks or reward, no matter how much they deserve it.

“These volunteers should have their moment in the spotlight so that others can be inspired by their efforts and join them in helping to provide the glue that holds our community together.

“We hope to be able to tell many of their inspirational stories.”

All nominees must live in or contribute to the community within the City of York Council area.