VOLUNTEERS in the North York Moors are celebrating after scooping top prizes in a national awards scheme.

Two projects in the park won first prize in the National Parks UK Volunteer Awards 2017.

Caitlin McCauley, aged 19 from Richmond, achieved the accolade of ‘Young Person of the Year’ following her summer of volunteering with the Education Team at the North York Moors National Park Authority.

Caitlin dedicated her free time to working with groups of children, leading them on woodland trails and foraging hunts, as well as teaching skills such as compass-reading and shelter building.

The National Park Authority also came top in the ‘Best Project’ category with the Cleveland Way Adoption Scheme – an initiative that sees young families become custodians of their own stretch of the National Trail.

On achieving her award, Caitlin, who is currently studying for a degree in zoology at the University of Lincoln, said: “I had such a fantastic summer working with more than 200 children and young people in the North York Moors.

“My favourite activity was definitely ‘bug hunting’. The children often started out rather squeamish, but by the end of the session were gleefully identifying different species.”

Tammy Andrews, who oversees the Cleveland Way Adoption Scheme in the Moors, said she was “over-the-moon” that the work has been recognised at a national level.