Mental health charity Hope 4 Life NI delivers early intervention programmes, including its Uberheroes comic books.
The organisation will host its fifth annual Uberheroes Kindness Awards in April, celebrating local children who have shown acts of compassion and care to others.
Andy Neely (11), from the Shankill Road, scooped two honours at last year’s event – the Above and Beyond Acts of Kindness category his mother Amy had nominated him for, and the Kindness Ambassador award.
“From the 30 kids who had made it to the finals, they have an overall special Kindness Ambassador award,” Amy explained.
“All of the judges voted unanimously for Andy to win that. It was so nice because every child was deserving for the award. It was a complete shock when Andy’s name was called.”
Andy added: “I’m going to be honest, I cried. I was really surprised.”
CBeebies’ Gyasi Sheppy, who was co-presenting the awards ceremony that night, even had to come down to the family’s table to take Andy up to the stage to accept his prize as he was in so much disbelief.
Amy added: “He got a standing ovation from everyone in the room. It was honestly the proudest moment of my whole life. I have video footage of this along with photographs and video of the event.
“This time last year, my son was going through an extremely difficult time mentally. In the lead-up to the awards, despite our best efforts to get him the help and support he needed, he wasn’t doing much better.
“Becoming the Ambassador for Kindness 2024 has given Andy his spark back, although he’s never stopped being kind to people. As a family, we all try to be kind.”
The proud parent said that no act of kindness is too big or too small for children to be nominated and praised the “kid-focused” aspect of the entire Kindness Awards initiative.
“Andy’s genuinely just a nice person,” she said.
“There was a situation where three young kids needed a place to stay and we brought them into our house. Andy gave up his bedroom so that they could stay together.
“He also looks after his granny. It’s my mum, and she has a lot of illnesses, but Andy just literally always goes above and beyond for her, and for anyone. He doesn’t even have to be asked, he just does it.
“When the nomination page went live for the Uberheroes Kindness Awards 2024, I thought I’d nominate Andy.
“I honestly thought nothing more about it until I received an email to say he’d been chosen as a finalist and that we were invited to attend the awards ceremony. That’s when the excitement really kicked up a gear.
“Andy was so excited, but being his normal humble self, he couldn’t think why he’d been nominated because ‘anyone would have done the same’ in his eyes.
“But that’s just it, all these kids nominated for an award do it because they believe that you should just be kind.
“The Uberheroes Kindness Awards event was such a magical night, 30 kids nominated for being themselves and doing all sorts of kind and wonderful things.
“The glitz, the glam, the red carpet, the professional photographer, the three-course meal, the goodie bags, the prizes, the celebrity presenters… The charity certainly made this such a truly magical night for everyone, and something Andy and our family will never forget.
“There were kids there who had raised money for charity, some had helped their brothers or sisters; and no child is left empty handed. No matter how big or small your child’s act of kindness is, put the nomination in.
“I’ve worked in the community and voluntarily for 17 years with kids, and a lot of the time there’s nothing to celebrate, just the small wins for them. So, for it all to be kid-focused, and you don’t have to pay a penny, it’s just a pleasure to see, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house all night.”
There are multiple categories that young people can be nominated for in the awards. For full details and to nominate anyone you know, visit uberheroes.co.uk. The deadline for entries is Friday, February 7.