‘It turned the bad into something good’

For Caitlin, winning a National Lottery Award was life-changing – now she’d love you to nominate your own local hero

As 14-year-old Caitlin Walker excitedly cooked her dad James a birthday dinner, she had no idea he would never get to eat the meal she’d lovingly prepared. Just hours before he was due to return home, the family received a phone call telling them James had been involved in a serious car accident. As a result he was in hospital for 17 days, having suffered life changing injuries.

“One day everything was normal and the next everything had been uprooted,” says Caitlin. “As soon as Dad came home from the hospital, that was it. My mum, Kelly, has back issues so my sister and I had no choice but to help out. The first year was very hard for us as a family. I had to do a lot more housework and also help my dad with day-to-day things.”

EXTRA CHALLENGES

As well as having to deal with her changed family situation, Caitlin was struggling with her autism, OCD and severe anxiety. She was home schooling, but when Covid 19 caused her GCSE exams to be cancelled, she was unable to gain any qualifications because external candidates were not allowed to use predicted grades.

But, Caitlin, now 16, refused to sit around feeling sorry for herself. She regularly volunteered for National Lottery-backed Youth Resilience UK, an organisation co-founded by Kelly to develop conflict-resolution skills and emotional strength in schoolchildren. It’s just one of the good causes that share £30 million in funding every week thanks to National Lottery players.

When the pandemic hit, Caitlin stepped up her efforts. “I knew the best way I could help myself and my mental wellbeing was by getting out of the house and helping others,” she says.

Caitlin began by making face masks and NHS uniform bags, so NHS staff could put their uniform in the bag, then straight in the washing machine.

“I also posted cards around my neighbourhood asking people to contact me if they needed help. I started shopping for people and collecting prescriptions to help them out.”

CONFIDENCE BOOST

Caitlin’s efforts helping others during the pandemic won her The National Lottery’s 2020 Young Hero Award, which gave her the confidence boost she needed. The National Lottery Awards are a chance to celebrate the inspirational work of the ordinary people and projects who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding. Nearly 5,000 local heroes were nominated, and this year we’re hoping there will be even more put forward for recognition.

“I was so grateful that people heard about my story and wanted me to win the award,” says Caitlin. “To win something with so much meaning turned all the bad that had happened in my life into some good. It has given me the confidence to pursue my dream to train as a nurse.” “It’s so important for people to nominate others for a National Lottery Award because knowing someone believes in you is everything. The boost an award like this gives is remarkable. Why wouldn’t you nominate someone and try to give them the opportunity to feel as amazing as I do?”