Stars Are Out At Night

Looked After Children in Sheffield were the stars of the evening at a special event during the summer.
The eighth annual Star Awards to celebrate the efforts and achievements of Looked After Children in the city was held at a four star hotel in Sheffield.
 
Sova CAST played a leading part in helping organise the event, building on the first event which was organised by a group of young care leavers who attended the CAST drop-in. They wanted people to recognise that despite the negative portrayal of Looked After Children in the media, they could succeed and make a valuable contribution to society, sometimes against tremendous odds.

Young people from CAST had written to local businesses, sports centres and leisure venues to obtain contributions for the event resulting in every child receiving a gift from Lush and two tickets for either ice-skating or swimming. Young people were also nominated for special awards with all nominees receiving medals and with a trophy being awarded to the overall winner of each category.

Two older members of the group assisted inviting dignitaries, including the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, onto the stage to present the awards. There was a performance by the Duke Street Band, a group of young people who attend music lessons provided by the Sheffield Music Hub at the Sova drop-in, which was well received by an enthusiastic audience.

Discussions are already taking place about the 2016 Star Awards which will continue to focus on areas of effort other than educational achievements and ensure Looked After Children are not undervalued.