Chelsea recognised

Teenager through to the final of national contest

A DUNDEE teenager who penned an open letter to her drug addict parents has reached the final of a competition to find Scotland’s most inspiring young person.

Chelsea Cameron, 18, a former head girl of Menzieshill High, has reached the last 36 in a national competition to find the Young Scot of the Year.

The teenager hit the headlines after she candidly and movingly revealed to the Evening Telegraph how she was forced to cope with drug abuse and criminality from her parents from an early age.

She said that when she received the news she was in the running for the contest she was “moved to tears” and completely shocked.

Chelsea said: “I’m so glad that I can now share this. I got a call last week informing me that I had made it as one of the finalists of the competition.

“The people of Scotland had nominated 500 people between the age of 11-26 for the Young Scot Award.

“They had a voting panel last week and following that I received a call to let me know I was one of the 36 finalists.

“The lady on the phone laughed as I told her she had most certainly called the wrong person.”

Chelsea said she was overwhelmed when she got the news.

She said: “I cannot explain how privileged I feel that the people of Scotland would even nominate me for this award, let alone a judging panel choose me to be in the final.

“I cried on the phone as the lady told me that I had been chosen as one of three young people for the award of ‘young hero’.

“I told her there must have been a mistake because I hadn’t put myself forward. That was when I was told that it was the people of Scotland who had nominated me.

“My name went forward to a judging panel who then chose me as a finalist. This incredible. I can’t thank people enough.”

The awards final will take place in Glasgow on April 27.

Chelsea Cameron has reached the final of Young Scot of the Year.