Meet Charlotte, Zillo’s Young Person of the Year
Last month saw more than 130 young people from across Wirral nominated for recognition at a prestigious awards event celebrating their outstanding contributions to the borough’s communities.
The Zillo Awards are run by Zillo – a website built for Wirral young people by Wirral Council in partnership with Wirral Metropolitan College. The awards night recognises the talent, resilience, kindness, and passion of young people across local communities.
One of these inspiring young people was Charlotte Pollard who took home the night’s biggest accolade – Zillo’s Young Person of the Year award. Charlotte, age 16, was nominated anonymously in recognition of her outstanding commitment to creating positive change within her community.
We caught up with Charlotte, and her mum Bex from Moreton, to ask them about the award win and what it means to them. Charlotte said:
It was a complete surprise. I knew I was nominated for another award but not Young Person of the Year.
I don’t recognise myself sometimes how much effort I put into things, but winning this award was almost like, reassurance that other people do see those efforts. It means a lot.
Charlotte is an Ambassador at the Hive Youth Zone in Birkenhead, a state-of-the-art space offering tonnes of activities for Wirral’s young people. Alongside friends and peers, she has led on impactful social action projects including organising intergenerational events, bringing older and young people together.
Charlotte said:
I’ve been involved with social action through the Hive since I was 8 so I’ve done a lot. The thing I’ve most enjoyed was an intergenerational project we did in the summer last year. A group of us from the Hive went into assisted living facilities with activities, we built an amazing relationship with the older residents and arranged for them to come to the Hive too for some entertainment and a nice meal.
Charlotte has also worked on a project tackling period poverty by designing and distributing ‘Positivity Packs’ containing essential sanitary products for young people in need. Charlotte says the scheme was a great success with plans for her and The Ambassadors to make more packs so that more young people can benefit going forward.
Charlotte said:
The Hive is a period positive youth zone, but people can still be embarrassed to ask for period products, or maybe they can’t afford them. As a group we made packs and called them Positivity Packs, so people could ask discreetly for them at the Hive, we made posters to let people know about them.
All the packs have gone so I’m taking that as a good sign, they were clearly needed.
Charlotte is passionate about making lasting change in her community, but she’s also modest. Charlotte said:
I don’t want to blow my own trumpet, but my family and friends were really proud of me.
Charlotte’s mum, Bex, said:
I was just incredibly proud. Charlotte is selfless, she puts others first, that’s probably why she is shocked when she does get something, like this award.
For her to be recognised by Zillo, it’s giving her the confidence to keep doing what she’s doing. Empowering her really. She gets embarrassed when she is recognised but she shouldn’t be.
What does the future look like for this young leader? She’s still figuring that out.
Charlotte said:
Career? No idea! I want to continue making a difference any way I can in my community and the youth zone.
I wouldn’t be where I am without the support from the Hive. When I first came to the Hive I had low confidence, now I’ve made friends and the difference has been massive.
I want all young people to know they have a voice, they just need to learn to use it and to know they can be heard too.
Congratulations to Charlotte, and all the winners and nominees at this year’s Zillo awards.
For more information on the awards night, visit: Wirral’s Young People Shine at the 2025 Zillo Youth Awards — zillowirral.
