AN AWARD celebrating the contribution of young innovators to the BCP conurbation has been presented to a woman who played a "crucial role" in last year's Bournemouth Christmas Tree Wonderland Market.

Hettie Fairhall was due to receive the Tony Williams Young Innovator Award at the Destination Awards Gala Dinner in March but the event had to be scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The accolade was sponsored by Lynne WIlliams, the widow of the late Tony Williams, former chief executive of Bournemouth Borough Council.

It was created by Lynne in recognition of Tony’s support for Tourism across the destination and in particular for front line staff and young people.

The award highlights young individuals who have ‘used exceptional vision and innovation in successfully taking forward the delivery of a particular product or service across a number of key areas, reflecting the positive impact of this innovation.’

Last week, Cllr Robert Lawton presented the gold standard trophy, on behalf of Lynne, to Hettie in recognition of her time as a placement student at Seventa Events, where she played a crucial role in the delivery of the 2019 Bournemouth Christmas Tree Wonderland Market.

During her time at Seventa, Hettie’s main achievement was the introduction of an online platform to upload trader documents which has subsequently been adapted for use within other organisations.

Cllr Lawton said: “It is fantastic to be able to recognise the contribution of these ‘young innovators’ with an award that also honours a valued member of our community. Hettie’s achievement reflects the values that were so important to Tony Williams he esteemed values that should inspire young people within our community during this particularly difficult period.”

The silver award standard was achieved by Amylee Foot for her significant impact in developing digital marketing for Yellow Buses, particularly in relation to Bournemouth Christmas Tree Wonderland. Nathalia Ceron, from the Prom Café, also achieved a silver standard award for her introduction of innovation in service, product and leadership at the Café.