A local lad in need of a kidney transplant has been commended by Rutland and Melton's MP upon receiving a British Citizen Youth Award.

Charlie, 13, was sadly diagnosed with a life-threatening chronic kidney disease five years ago. At age 11, Charlie went into renal failure and is in urgent need of a kidney transplant to save his life.

In spite of his struggles, Charlie has embodied the Rutland motto "much in little" and proven that even the county's young can have a huge impact.

MP Alicia Kearns explained: "Despite battling invasive daily medical treatments, operations, and hospital admissions, Charlie hasn't let this hold him back, and his brave work and campaigning to help raise awareness of the disease and organ donation has been outstanding.

"Last month, Charlie was chosen as one of 24 young people from across the UK to be awarded a British Citizen Youth Award for their positive impact on their communities and wider society. This is a truly incredible achievement, with only a small number of exceptional young individuals selected for this award annually.

"In just 16 months Charlie has raised over £17,000 for kidney and associated charities, helping to raise awareness about organ donation, and offering encouragement and guidance to others. Using his story as part of the Kidney Research UK Christmas Campaign 2022, Charlie also helped to raise a further £40,000 towards vital research."

Ms Kearns also shared a picture of Charlie at Parliament receiving his BCyA Medal of Honour.

Charlie, collecting his award at Parliament, London. Image credit: Alicia Kearns MP.

Alicia Kearns concluded: "Thank you Charlie for sharing your story, and for all your brave work in raising awareness about organ donation and kidney disease - you are an inspiration to us all."

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Congratulations Charlie!