More than 60 guests were at Harrogate’s Hotel du Vin on Wednesday (19 March) to see the launch of a new Yorkshire charity, the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation.

The formation of the new charity marks the coming of age of the Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards, which celebrated their 18th birthday the same day. The Awards have raised £800,000 for children’s charity since their inception and the aim of the new Foundation is to help even more young people across the region.

The Foundation’s chairman, Peter McCormick of principal Awards sponsors McCormicks Solicitors, told guests that the Foundation would support a range of causes for young people in Yorkshire, including children’s cancer charity Candlelighters in its move to the LGI this year. The event also saw the presentation of £500 to the Bone Cancer Research Trust in memory of Alexander Albiston, joint winner of the 2009 Achievement in Education Award, who sadly died from his illness earlier this year.

Nominations for the 2010 Awards are now open at www.yorkshireyoungachievers.co.uk or by ringing Sonia Jones at McCormicks Solicitors on 01423 530630. Nominations close on 10 September and the winners will be announced at the Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards dinner on Thursday 25 November at the Leeds United Conference and Exhibition Centre.