From a self-taught piano playing fundraiser to a mountain climbing teenager with a passion for helping others, the Young Citizen Award has found some remarkable stories.

Since it launched in February, a clutch of young people aged 25 and under have been nominated for the Recorder/Rotary Young Citizen Award.

The award sees a monthly winner selected from a pool of nominees, and so far two people have won that prize and seen their names go forward for the overall award which will be decided early next year.

The February winner was Cody Lee Smart, aged 13. He first placed his hands on a keyboard when his mum was battling breast cancer.

Twelve months later, Cody, then aged nine, was raising money for the breast cancer unit in Epping which had treated her.

Now 13, and having played at dozens of fundraising events for a host of good causes, Cody’s total has passed an impressive �27,000.

In March, the judges were impressed by 19-year-old Hussain Manawer, of Endsleigh Gardens, Ilford.

He raised thousands of pounds for victims of last year’s Pakistan floods by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

He has his eyes set on the Great Wall of China in September as he bids to raise money for a meningitis charity.

The monthly winners of the award will each receive �40 to spend on The Exchange Ilford retailer of their choice. The overall winner will receive �400 to spend.

To nominate someone, fill in the coupon and send in to the Recorder offices, accompanied with a explanation of no more than 150 words.