A BUDDING politician from Wincanton has been named Young Person of the Year.

Ellie Bealing, a Year 11 student at King Arthur’s School, received the accolade at the 2024 Pride of Somerset Youth Awards on May 16.

She was picked amid stiff competition from other young people across the county; from outstanding athletes to dedicated volunteers, from creative artists to courageous leaders.

Sponsored by Bridgwater & Taunton College, the Young Person of the Year Award celebrates a young person who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and achievement in their chosen field, serves as an inspiration to others through their leadership, initiative, and positive impact and exemplifies the best of what it means to be a young person in Somerset.

Teacher Philippa Huggins nominated Ellie for the award.

She said: “Ellie is quite simply an outstanding young woman. She puts in maximum effort to everything that she does.

“Ellie is a very proactive member of King Arthur’s School; sitting on the School Council and holding the position of Head of School, representing the student body both formally and informally. She also represents the school and Somerset as an elected member of the Youth Parliament.

“As part of this she is a member of the British Youth Council and has campaigned for a voice for young people in Somerset, culminating in her speaking at the House of Commons this year, highlighting the disparity of experience between young people in Somerset vs other, less rural areas linked to available opportunities and transport links.”

Headteacher at King Arthur’s, Jen Jacklin, added: “We are beyond proud that Ellie was awarded the Young Person of the Year accolade.

“She has been so dedicated to giving young people a voice and has worked tirelessly to do so alongside her studies, this award is truly deserved and we know that she has an amazing future ahead of her.”