A WITCHFORD teenager who has raised money for a charity that helped her younger sister, who was born with a cleft palate, has been nominated for a Young People of the Year Award (YOPEY).

Fifteen-year-old Jaimee Tuck wanted to say thank you to the Cleft Lip and Palate Association while raising awareness about people with abnormal facial development.

She has organised two non-uniform days and baked hundreds of cakes to help raise awareness for Jaimee has been nominated for this year’s Cambs YOPEY awards, with the chance to win £800 in prize money.

Jaimee, of Main Street, Witchford, was nominated by her best friend Eleanor Upton-Heath, who has known her since their junior school days at Rackham Primary School.

Eleanor said: “Jaimee always put her sister first, and was always there for her. And yet, she still managed to be an amazing friend and a popular girl at school.

“Even when all the attention was on Molly, she never complained or fussed that she wasn’t in the spotlight.”

Jaimee has raised nearly £1,000 for CLAPA including £370 from a non-uniform day at Rackham School, £460 for a non-uniform day and cake sale at her secondary school, Witchford Village College.

Jaimee said: “I was nine when I first got involved, which was not long after my sister was born. I’d never heard of CLAPA before my sister, so I assumed other people wouldn’t have either. I just thought it was important to raise awareness and raise money for them.

After education, Jaimee said she hopes to work with children in hospitals. She would like to be one of the play specialists at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

In addition to Ferrier Pearce, this year’s Cambs YOPEY is supported by CSR, Hutchinsons, Lynx, ALS, ARM, G¹s. Kier Eastern, Kiss Communications, LifePlus, The Micron Group, Peterborough City Council, Stratagem Intellectual Property Management and TTP Group.

This year’s final will be held in the Priory Centre, St Neot’s, in the autumn.