'I am so proud' - Teenager from Shrewsbury honoured with national award for dedication to animals and the environment
A teenager from Shrewsbury who has dedicated years of his childhood to protecting the environment and helping animals has been selected to receive a British Citizen Youth Award.
Walter Sulaman-Evans, a pupil at Shrewsbury School, has been recognised for his exceptional volunteering, fundraising, and community work - earning a place amongst just 22 inspirational young people from across the UK who will be presented with a British Citizen Youth Award (BCyA) Medal of Honour at the Palace of Westminster on October 30.
Now in its ninth year, the British Citizen Youth Award (BCyA) celebrates young people under 18 who have made a positive difference in their communities.
Walter's journey to the award is rooted in a lifelong love of nature and animals. Earlier this year, he joined the newly launched International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals (IAPWA) Youth Ambassador Programme - and within weeks, had exceeded all fundraising, outreach, and engagement targets.
The 14-year-old's commitment earned him the title of IAPWA’s first Official Youth Ambassador and made him the only participant to qualify in the programme's inaugural year.
Determined to inspire others, Walter launched his 'Walt Adventures' page on Instagram, in a bid to encourage other young people to engage with the natural world in sustainable and meaningful ways. Soon after, he also interviewed an international adventurer and fundraiser to learn more about responsible campaigning - knowledge he quickly put into practice.
