HE was once a no-hoper, whose life revolved around booze and drugs, but teenager Anthony Martindale has turned his back on trouble, and instead become a positive role model for hundreds of other youngsters in his community.

Not only has he transformed his own life, but he has turned to volunteer work, helping young and old in the Harpurhey area of Manchester where he lives with his mum Gillian.

And the 18-year old has just been named the first `Urban Hero of the Year' at a prestigious awards ceremony aimed at publicly recognising those who have battled serious obstacles in their lives including drug addiction, tough backgrounds, and loss of parents and family, to emerge as heroes.

The honours have been awarded by the Manchester-based youth charity The Message Trust, which has been working across Greater Manchester for 15 years, to improve the lives of young people.

Andy Hawthorne, chief executive and founder, said: "Though the charity has been working across the area for a long time now, the awards are new.

"And at a time when young people are getting such a bad press, and being regularly portrayed in a negative light, the scheme shows that there are, in fact, many success stories and that many young people are playing a vital and positive role in society."

Anthony scooped the top award, and was in addition named Volunteer of the Year, because of his amazing attitude towards needy people within the community.

Mr Hawthorne presented the awards at a ceremony in Old Trafford, at which a staggering £80,000 was raised to kick-start a £500,000 appeal to expand the charity's good works.

Role model

He said: "He is a fantastic role model for others and is, basically, what we're all about. His awards are thoroughly deserved."

Anthony's youth worker and friend Jen Graves said: "He's always been the one that will be saying `I'll be there, I'll help you'. He's a legend."

Anthony, who is now at college studying joinery and carpentry, said: "My story is not unlike that of many others, really. I got involved with the wrong crowd at school, and got into booze and drugs. I was only 15 or 16 at the time, but it took over my life.

"I always seemed to be in trouble, which caused bother at home and at school. I didn't same able to do anything about it, until I met a volunteer from the Message Trust, who got me interested in what the charity is trying to do.

"I was a bit doubtful about it all at first, because the Trust is based on Christian values, and to someone like me at the time, that made me a bit suspicious.

"I started going to church, however, and a few months later, I was baptized a Christian, and now my life has been turned completely around.

"I don't smoke, drink or take drugs, I'm studying hard so I can get a decent job, and I'm doing all sorts of volunteer work for the Trust which makes me feel good about myself."

During the past year Anthony has been involved in a home-improvement project with the Trust, developed a garden for a sick neighbour, and helped with the charity's Eden Project - long-term schemes to help youngsters on some of the area's most disadvantaged housing estates.

He said: "My mum admits she was shocked, but then delighted at the change in me, and my dad at one point became really emotional. They say I'm a new person."

Winner of the Trust's Achiever of the Year award wanted to be known only as Damien, from Salford, whose life was transformed while in prison for armed robbery.

Damien admits he was heavily into the drink and drugs culture. As a result of being bullied, he in turn became a bully, developed behavioural problems, and like Anthony, got in with the wrong crowd.

He says his crisis point came when he was shocked to discover that his whole family were frightened of him, but it was only after he went to prison that he made the positive change for the better.

When he was released he says he struggled, and his saving grace was the Message Trust and its Eden Project, which helped keep him on the straight and narrow.

He says he feels he was `touched by God' while serving his sentence, and adds that had he not turned his life around, he firmly believes he would have been a dead man by now.

The youngest award winner was 14-year-old Aimee Cartwright, from Harpurhey, who received the Courage of the Year award.

Aimee's problems began when her mum died, and her father left home almost two years ago. She developed serious behavioural problems and began missing school.

But with help from the Message Trust, she too has turned her life around. Her head of year at the North Manchester Girls' School, Carole Ann O'Carroll said: "She has had to grow up really fast. She has become a resilient young lady who has overcome numerous difficulties in her life. Within school, she has developed into a really mature young lady, and really deserves this award."

Four teenagers from Salford's Langworthy Estate won the Trust's Inspiration Award, for their work in setting up and running a workers' co-operative.

Vanessa Fowler 15, Danny Craddock 15, Ryan Dowson 15, and Liam Nashir 16, sell Fair Trade products, jewellery and `smoothie' drinks at the Trust's LifeCentre and other youth projects.

The group, whose company is called Smoothie Blitz, successfully applied for a £4,000 grant from the Youth Bank to get started, and profits which are not ploughed back into the business, are shared between a local children's charity and an overseas charity.

A special Champions award goes to a husband-and-wife team, who were so impressed by the work the charity was doing in Manchester, they moved from their home in the south to set up house in Hattersley.

GP Dr John Patterson, 37, and his wife Sam, 34, are an integral part of the Eden Project team and are involved in numerous youth work projects.

Trust chief executive Andy Hawthorne, who set up the charity in 1992, said: "John runs a local football club and Sam runs kids' clubs from their home, which has also become something of a drop-in centre for local youngsters.

Amazing

"John has managed to balance his working hours as a doctor so that he can put in as much time as possible carrying out youth work. He is an amazing guy, and they are a wonderful couple.

"We wanted to publicly recognise what these two have done for the Trust, and for the people within the community where they are now living and working."

The Message Trust prides itself on helping young people from all kinds of backgrounds, often including those who are hardest to reach.

It aims to bring hope, provide opportunities, and realise potential, and last year about 100,000 young people came into contact with one of the charity's projects on the streets, in the community, in schools, or in prisons.

Mr Hawthorne said of the awards ceremony, which was attended by civic dignitaries including the Lord Mayor of Manchester and hundreds of local businessmen: "We were staggered at the generosity of people who attended.

"I explained that like any charity, we are always in need of cash to develop the work we do, and said we would be happy to receive donations.

"People were coming to us with cheque books and credit cards. It was an overwhelming start to our half-million pound appeal, which will, hopefully, take us to a new level." Tweet