Jubilee award to inspirational A Level pupil

St Aiden’s sixth form student Josh Taylor has been declared the winner of Wetherby Town Council’s Annual Jubilee Award which recognises the achievements of outstanding young people.

Josh was nominated by Rev Brendan Giblin, of St James Church, who said: “Josh Taylor is an inspirational young man.

“As soon as the first lockdown was announced he delivered notes to all his neighbours (and to people in many streets), saying that they could contact him for help with shopping etc.

“He has been instrumental in helping St James’ Church broadcast their Sunday worship each and every week of the pandemic, he worked to enable us to overcome the technical challenges raised by live-streaming.

“We were able to establish on-line services which reached hundreds of people.

“He is now helping us to livestream from our church building, and is constantly helping us to overcome problems that we face.”

Rev Giblin said that every week Josh put together a fun service for young families.

“This was considerable work,” added Rev Giblin. “He gathered a team (all of whom were many years older than himself), with great skill, he chaired meetings and pulled everyone and everything together.

“He has shown maturity in leadership well above his age.”

The Award was launched in 2012 as a permanent reminder of the Queen’s Jubilee year.

A panel of judges award the honour and this year deliberated via video link.