Stars turn out to hail Children of Courage

Dec 13 2007 Western Mail

SOME of Britain’s bravest children were presented with awards by Sarah Brown, wife of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in a moving, star-studded ceremony yesterday.

The Woman’s Own Children of Courage Awards, now in its 34th year, is one of the longest-running award ceremonies dedicated specifically to recognising the achievements of youngsters.

The winners, including 11-year-old Welsh girl Emily Palmer, received their awards from Mrs Brown, who was dressed in an aubergine outfit, before a celebrity-packed congregation at London’s Westminster Abbey.

The event recognised children who have shown outstanding bravery and courage in difficult circumstances during the past year.

Many in the congregation were in tears as they heard how the youngsters, aged between six and 13, have shown determination and bravery in the face of adversity. Many have performed acts of extraordinary heroism while others have suffered extreme pain as a result of a disability or illness.

During the service I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! star Cerys Matthews gave a reading of the Christmas story, Luke 2:1-16.

The mother to Glenys, four, and Johnny, two, said afterwards, “I’m here to honour the courage of these great children and their families.

“It is a real honour for me to be here.

“I think the superstars here today are the children.

“The sun is shining through the stained glass windows. It’s very inspiring.”

The former Catatonia star from Pembrokeshire said she loved hearing Shayne Ward sing during the ceremony, adding, “That’s when the tears started.

“I wish I could do this sort of thing every day.”

Matthews’s romance with fellow contestant Marc Bannerman, whom she met in the jungle, has caused controversy.

She was asked about her future plans now she is out of the jungle.

“I know what I’ve got planned,” she said, adding that she was not thinking about the plans yesterday.

Ward, who sang Over The Rainbow during the service, said later, “It is great to be part of this.

“It has been incredible just to see the children being awarded for their bravery.

“It puts things into perspective ... these kids go through agony.”

The heart-throb said that as he stood up to sing he was thinking, “I’m going to go here.”

But he told how he pictured happy thoughts to get himself through the song.

“King of the Jungle” Christopher Biggins was surrounded by children asking for autographs after the service.

The actor said the awards were “extraordinary” and had him in “floods of tears”.

He said that seeing the children excited at the “King of the Jungle” “made it even more personal somehow this year”.

Talking of his post-jungle plans he said, “I’ve got so many plans and so many meetings.

“I know that 2008 is going to be very exciting.”

The service also saw a moving reading of a poem entitled Courage, read out by youngster Georgina Chapman, whose father, Lieutenant Commander Darren Chapman, of the Royal Naval Air Service, died last year in Iraq.

It was written by nine-year-old pupils of Prep 4, the Royal Junior School in Haslemere, Surrey.

This year the event introduced a new special award named Family of Courage, which was received by 10-year-old Steven Tomlinson, whose mother was inspirational fundraiser Jane Tomlinson.

Mrs Tomlinson lost her seven-year battle with cancer in September after raising more than £1.75m for cancer and children’s charities.

Before the ceremony, winners met Mr Brown at 10 Downing Street and were later attending a reception at the House of Lords.

Woman’s Own editor Karen Livermore said, “Woman’s Own Children of Courage has become a national institution … every one of our winners has shown huge determination and immense courage in the toughest of times and they’re an absolute inspiration to us all.”

The awards were judged by Baroness Massey, Ms Livermore, Natasha Cook, Deputy Editor of Woman’s Own, and GMTV’s Fiona Phillips, Andrew Castle and Richard Arnold.