Two inspirational young people who have overcome personal battles so they can help others have been commended by royalty.

Cody Lee Smart and Grace Boxall, both monthly winners of the Recorder/Rotary Young Citizen Award, collected certificates from Prince Edward during his visit to the Grange Farm Centre, High Road, Chigwell.

His visit last week marked the end of a six-year project to restore the land adjacent to the former Grange Farm camp site.

The Earl of Wessex also unveiled a plaque, officially opening the transformed pavilion at the site.

Cody, the February winner of our Young Citizen Award, sponsored by Exchange Ilford, was presented with a certificate for outstanding courage and selfless desire to help others.

The 14-year-old has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity by playing the piano at events, after discovering his mother had cancer.

The September winner of the award, Grace, was presented with a certificate for outstanding bravery and being an inspiration to others. She was diagnosed with a brain tumour four years ago when she was 10.

Earlier this year she launched her very own charity called Smiles with Grace, which has already raised thousands of pounds for good causes.

Monthly winners of the Young Citizen Award receive �40 to spend at the Exchange Ilford retailer of their choice, with the overall winner, to be announced next year, receiving �400.

Young citizens aged 25 and under can be nominated by filling in the coupon on this page.

The award is part of Redbridge Mayor Cllr Chris Cummins’ Community Awards, which is looking for exceptional people across the borough.

The six other categories for the awards, which are sponsored by the Recorder, are: Redbridge Best Business Award, Green Redbridge Award, Safer Redbridge Award, Caring Redbridge Award, Contribution to Redbridge Young People Award and the Redbridge Community Hero Award. All entrants must work or live in Redbridge and entries must relate to work between January 2011 and January 2012.

Nomination forms can be found at www.redbridge.gov.uk/communityawards.

Winners of the awards will attend a ceremony at Redbridge Town Hall, High Road, Ilford, on March 24.