A new award has been launched to recognise the hard work and achievements of young unsung heroes in Dudley.

The inaugural YOU West Midlands Youth Award, open to children and young people up to the age of 18, will be presented at the Mayor’s Ball and Civic Awards in April.

The award will be in memory of Ben Corfield, who tragically lost his life in November 2022 aged just 19. Ben was an active member in the community, having been chair of Dudley Youth Council, Dudley’s youth member of parliament and a candidate for Dudley’s youth police and crime commissioner. Ben also volunteered at the Black Country Wellbeing Centre and was an active Street Watch member.

The award has been created by Youth Organisations in Uniform (YOU) West Midlands, in partnership with Dudley Council. YOU WM is a grouping of 11 local uniformed youth organisations supported by the West Midlands Lieutenancy and the West Midlands Reserve Force and Cadet Association who are working together to help give young people and potential adult volunteers new opportunities and to develop new skills. Councillor Andrea Goddard, the Mayor of Dudley, said:

“I am delighted to be launching this new award at the Mayor’s Ball and especially pleased it is in honour of Ben. He was an inspirational young man who did so much to help the community and was taken from us far too soon.

“We’re looking for nominations for young unsung heroes, like Ben, who go above and beyond to help others. If you know someone, put them forward.”

Richard Boot, Dudley lead for YOU West Midlands, added: “We are delighted to be associated with this award.

“We hope that what Ben achieved will go on to inspire other young people to gain the significant benefits of joining some wonderful youth organisations in Dudley.”

Nominations can be made online and must be in by Sunday March 3. The winner will be announced and presented with the trophy at the Mayor’s Ball and Civic Awards, which take place at the Copthorne Hotel in Brierley Hill on Friday April 19.