YOUNG people aged between 13 and 19 years in Cornwall are being urged to apply for places at ‘Celefest’, an exciting and innovative event aimed at celebrating the positive activities and achievements of young people, which is being staged at The Eden Project on February 11.

Cornwall county council is one of ten local authorities awarded funding to stage Celefest events after the Department of Children, Young People and Families selected its bid from those submitted by 50 other local authorities last Autumn. Plans for the celebration, which will be attended by more than 1,000 young people from across the county, are being led by a team of young people with support from the Children’s Services Authority.

“The aim of Celefest is to recognise, acknowledge and celebrate young people’s achievements” explained David Callaghan, Member of the Youth Parliament for Mid Cornwall. “We want to counteract the negative perceptions often held about young people and to challenge the negative images we so often see in the media.

“We have already received large numbers of applications from young people wanting to take part, but have now extended the deadline until January 20 to enable anyone else interested in coming along to demonstrate their achievements and activities to send in their forms”.

Celefest packs containing information, posters and a Participation Request form were sent to youth centres and projects, schools and colleges and local groups at the end of last term. Details are also available from Peter Hughes at Youth Cornwall, Fistral House, 8a Truro Business Park, Threemilestone, TR4 9NH or phughes@cornwall.gov.uk or on the Cornwall Youth Forum Website : www.cornwallyouthforum.org.uk/celefest.html