Inspirational children and young people who have overcome adversity were honoured at the annual Mansfield Rotary Courage Awards.

Now in its 31st year, the event was hosted at Portland College, Mansfield, in front of the young people’s families and teachers.

Twelve young people — Kaelan Emery (Meden School, Warsop), Ellis Preece (Joseph Whitaker School, Rainworth), Lillie Childerley (The Brunts Academy), Brooke McLean (REAL Independent School), Milly-Ann Rawson and Olivia Rawson (The Samworth Church Academy), DJ Nettleship (Queen Elizabeth’s Academy), Amelia Page (Reach Learning Disability), Hope Pugh (West Nottinghamshire College), Storm Reveley (West Nottinghamshire College), Ellie Parker (A Place To Call Our Own), and Ryley Briston (Portland College) — received a plaque from the Rotary club and a civic citation from the Mayor of Mansfield, Andy Abrahams.

The recipients of the awards had been nominated by their school or college for “exemplifying moral and spiritual courage in the face of personal adversity and difficulty.”

Presenting the awards, Mansfield Rotary president Kate Allsop said: “Courage is often described as the ability to conquer fear or despair.

“But courage is not only showing bravery in the face of danger. More often courage is the day-to-day determination and hard work of dealing with, adjusting to, and, hopefully, overcoming the obstacles and harsh realities that life may present.

“It is a quality of mind enabling one to face that hardship with resolution.

“A resolution with power and spirit — the power to make choices and set goals and to act upon them firmly without renouncing those objectives; the spirit to let that courage succeed by the behaviour and attitude shown to the world about them.”

Education Mutual was the event’s main sponsor.

Tables were sponsored by: Tyler Bros (Sutton-in-Ashfield) Ltd, HW Martin Waste Ltd, Alison and Phil Constantine, Asmech Systems Ltd, Portland College, Hall-Fast Industrial Supplies, Mansfield Building Society, Fidler & Pepper, Belvoir Mansfield, Hopkins Solicitors, Beer Noticed and Mansfield Garage Doors.

The Rose Bower, Outram Street, Sutton, provided floral gifts to the parents and carers of each nominee.

Among the other guests were the Undersheriff of Nottinghamshire, Deborah Hutchinson, and Rotary District 1220 governor Martyn Bye and his wife, Susan.

Mansfield Rotary president Kate added: “Our Courage Awards has its origin in Mansfield, Ohio (USA) where that city’s Rotary Club began its programme in 1968, when a retired Salvation Army brigadier, Rotn William McGowan, saw the need to honour worthy students not usually selected for awards — and thus the Mansfield Ohio Courage Award programme started. It continues to this day, more than 50 years later, as an annual event.

“So for what one Mansfield club started, who better than for this Mansfield Rotary Club, here in England, to emulate and continue the example.

“Other Rotary clubs around the East Midlands that have attended this event in recent years are also now running their own version of the Courage Awards programme.”