COMMUNITY STARS: Littlehampton man Mark Yates helps young fulfil potential

Mark has been nominated in the Star of the Community category in the Herald and Gazette series' Community Stars Awards.

Susan Smith, of Dorset Close, Littlehampton, nominated Mark, who runs Littlehampton-based LA/UK which seeks to offer hope to children, young people and families and to encourage and motivate them to fulfil their potential.

Susan heaped praise on Mark.

Star of the community

She said: "Mark spent his youth working for various charities and church projects running activities for children and young people.

"Nothing is too much for Mark, every child counts.

"He works tirelessly to help others, even in his own time. Mark and his co-workers should be recognised for the amount of help they bring to this town.

"Mark is truly a worthy candidate as a quiet star of the community."

Award-winning project

LA/UK was set up in 2007 after funding for the award-winning youth and community project WIRE (Wick Information, Recreation, Education) dried up.

Mark, 34, who lives in Rustington, said: "LA/UK is one of the many projects run by the charity Spurgeon's.

"I was project manager of Wire and when the money ran out I felt it was incredibly important for a new project to be created in Littlehampton to work with children and young people who needed a bit of help, support or advice."

Mark and his co-workers began to work with 80 young people and children in the BN17 catchment area.

Building trust

LA/UK is about promoting and encouraging positives during challenging times.

Mark added: "We take young people and children on activities to build trust and friendship with them, to provide a listening ear and to help guide those who may have lost their way.

"I am always amazed at the success our young people achieve such as going on international trips with charities to help vulnerable children."

LA/UK is divided up into "crews" of children who take part in activities together.

One parent of children who were helped by Mark and LA/UK said she was so thankful for the help her family received.

Fantastic volunteers

She said: "Where to start on such a worthwhile project? I have four daughters, two of which have attended their crew since September 2009.

"One of them has additional needs medically, however, due to that the other has additional needs emotionally.

"Without exaggeration or embellishments of the truth, I can honestly say that LA/UK has pulled our family situation from the brink of despair."

Mark said he was "humbled" by the award nomination.

"It is very unexpected," he said. "I am supported by my wonderful wife and an absolutely fantastic team of volunteers. I hope that as someone who is able to listen to others that I do make a difference."

Nominations

It is easy to nominate a person for the Community Stars awards.

Just fill in the form published in the Herald/Gazette series every week and nominate someone you admire in one of the Community Stars catagories listed by clicking here.

Voting will start in September. Until then we will be featuring the stories of nominees in the newspaper and online.

Don't delay, nominate today.

-------------------------------------

Click here to go back to Worthing news.

Click here to return to Gazette news.

Click here to go back to Shoreham news.

Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.

Email the Herald: [email protected]

Click here for the Herald staff directory.

Want to read this page in French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Urdu or 48 other languages? click here for Google translate.