�A little girl who is raising awareness about the severe allergy she is living with has been chosen as the winner of the June Recorder/Rotary Young Citizen Award.

Compassionate Destiny Dalby, aged eight, has helped organise events including sponsored swims and charity fashion shows to raise awareness of her allergy. She also appeared in four films and on BBC Breakfast TV.

Her efforts have won her the monthly Young Citizen Award, sponsored by the Exchange Ilford.

Destiny, who lives in Great Owl Road, Chigwell, is dedicated to raising awareness about the severe hypersensitivity allergy anaphylaxis.

She has impressed many with her commitment to public speaking about her ilness, which is a topic close to her heart, having suffered from a fish and nut allergy since the age of three.

Destiny’s mother Paula Braithwaite-Dalby said: “My husband Steve and I are very proud of the difficulties Destiny has overcome having suffered from her allergy.

Courage

“She always carries antihistamine and an allergy pen but her passion is to raise awareness for children who are at risk of anaphylaxis, particularly at school.”

While she enjoys music, singing and drama, her favourite subject is astronomy and she considers herself a bit of an expert.

Eve Conway-Ghazi, of award founders Redbridge Rotary Club, said Destiny “shows remarkable courage at such a young age”.

She added: “The nominations are very strong, with so many inspirational young people being put forward that it is extremely difficult to choose a winner. It shows that there are many wonderful youngsters working to make the world a better place.”

Destiny has won �40 to spend at the Exchange Ilford retailer of her choice, while the overall winner, to be chosen next year, will be given �400 to spend at the Exchange Ilford retailer of their choice.

n To nominate a Redbridge youngster, fill in the coupon on this page and send it to the Recorder, explaining in no more than 150 words why the young person deserves to be nominated.