AN INSPIRATIONAL teenager has been given a cheque for her charity by older people in her home town of Middlesbrough.

Hannah Larkin, 18, of Coulby Newham, has previously won national recognition for establishing her own charity, Butterfly Giving charity to help young cancer patients.

And now she has the seal of approval from older people in the town after the Middlesbrough Senior Citizens' Forum raised £300 for the cause.

Hannah, who has previously received the Middlesbrough Mayor's award, collected the cheque at The Spencer Room of Middlesbrough Town Hall today (WED,OCT 29).

Chairman of the Forum, Les Fawcett MBE, 74, who has himself been a community volunteer since he was 17, said Hannah started her charity when she was just 14. The idea is to offer young cancer patients activities that especially interests them while they are undergoing treatment.

Mr Fawcett said: "She's a beautiful young lady and her, and her mam and dad, do everything they can to make the charity a success. Nowadays we criticise a lot of young people but she proves they are not all bad, In fact fact, in all my years meeting all these good people who do a lot of the community, I'd put her top of the list."

Hannah embarked on fundraising when she was in reception class at school when she learned sign language as there were deaf children at school and she did sponsored silences. After many years of other charity projects she was inspired to set up her own charity after meeting a boy called George, at a national St John Ambulance event, who had lost a leg through cancer.

For more information or to support Hannah’s fundraising, visit butterflygiving.org.uk