December 20, 2019 - 2810 views
A local woman with a passion for ensuring that all young people can be the belle of the ball regardless of income, has been recognised with a prestigious national award.
Ally Elouise, from Llandudno is to be recognised at the Palace of Westminster with a British Citizen Award in recognition of her extraordinary endeavours. The British Citizen Award, in partnership with One Stop, is now in its fifth year and recognises exceptional individuals who positively impact their communities throughout the country.
Ally will be honoured for her services to volunteering and charitable giving, with a BCAv, at an official medal presentation being held on 23rdJanuary 2020.
The beginnings of her story began back in 2015 when she watched a documentary about poverty in the UK featuring a young girl who was struggling to attend her end of year school prom.
Ally was so moved she used her own 21st birthday money to buy prom dresses from charity shops to loan. She then built a website and began loaning free of charge prom dresses to young people who would not otherwise have been able to attend their school prom.
There was an instant demand as there is nothing like this in the UK. Alice created a charity called Prom Ally so that every young person could feel, and be, included when it came to their end of year prom.
The charity grew with more young people using the service, but also now other young people are donating their own prom dresses and even suits for boys. The service is completely free of charge and completely confidential.
One of Alice’s proudest achievements was supplying prom outfits to a charity for children with brain injuries which allowed 30 young disabled girls look and feel beautiful at a prom themed party. Since setting up Prom Ally many youth organisations, schools and charities have requested help in setting up groups in their own local communities.
The Medal presentation will be hosted at the House of Lord’s by TV’s Michael Underwood who, together with Dame Mary Perkins, co-founder of Specsavers, is a patron of the British Citizen Award, which was establishedin 2015, to recognise exceptional individuals who work tirelessly and selflessly to make a positive impact on society.
The BCA recognises true community heroes who would otherwise likely be overlooked. Dubbed the People’s Honours, many recipients have subsequently been selected to receive a Queen’s Honour after their endeavours have been recognised with a BCA.
Each medalist has a day to remember befitting their achievements. At the Palace of Westminstereach will receive a Medal of Honour, inscribed with the words ‘For the Good of the Country’. Medals will be presented by Senior Representatives from official partner One Stop, Places for People, Specsavers, Experian and Objective HR who all support these awards.
Following this, medalists are treated to an Open Top Lap of Honour tour before attending a Certificate presentation at the prestigious Church House.
The British Citizen Award is widely viewed as the nation’s way of recognising extraordinary, everyday people for exceptional endeavor and are truly representative of today’s multicultural Britain.
