Scarborough's Lily Porter wins Fundraiser category at BBC's Make a Difference Awards 2024
Ten-year-old Lily Porter has been recognised for her work to ensure that people in Scarborough have everything they need to create a cracking Christmas dinner.
Lily was one of eight local community heroes who were honoured at a glamorous ceremony hosted by BBC Radio’s Georgey Spanswick at York Racecourse on Friday (September 13).
The aim of the awards is to shine a light on the everyday, unsung heroes who go that extra mile for others in their own community.
In North Yorkshire this year’s judges included Emmerdale actress Roxy Shahidi, TV’s ‘Dogfather’ Graeme Hall, BBC Newsreader Reeta Chakrabarti, and BBC Morning Live’s Briony May Williams. Bake off stars Freya Cox and Rowan Claughton were also involved.
Lily first discovered she had been nominated after being invited on to the radio to talk about her fundraising efforts. After describing how she had raised money to provide Christmas dinner for dozens of Scarborough people, she was told she had been nominated for the award.
She said: “I didn’t expect to win! It was a tough category. I was so happy when they called my name that I burst into tears, I just couldn’t believe it.”
This year Lily, who runs her own cooking blog Skillswithlils on Facebook, will be working with Scarborough Christmas Together when she will be making Yorkshire Puddings and Christmas cake for 60 dinner guests who are expected to attend Gallows Close Centre on Christmas Day.
She will also perform a song for guests on the day and help to serve meals along with dad Graham, mum Karen and her twin brothers. Graham said: “In the evening we’ll be having Chinese for Christmas dinner – it will be the fifth year running we’ve done that!”
In total 32 finalists were at the event, including Mick Couzens from Keep Scarborough Tidy, Dave Bigsby from Lilly the Red Tailed Boa & Reptile Rescue and Ros Jones Coaching & Personal Development who were all Highly Commended by judges.
Mr Couzens said: “Cecily, Gill and myself had a fabulous day representing Keep Scarborough Tidy at the BBC Radio York Make a Difference Awards. The afternoon tea was delicious. Everyone was a worthy winner for their contributions to make the world a better place to live in.”