Keira Mayhew to receive top youth honour
A young person from Telford who has tirelessly raised thousands for animal welfare is set to receive a prestigious national honour. Keira Mayhew is among 22 exceptional youths from across the UK to be recognised with a British Citizen Youth Award (BCyA) for 2025.
Since she was eight years old, Keira has shown a deep enthusiasm for supporting animal charities, managing to raise an incredible £40,000 to date. Her commitment has directly aided local organisations, including Rainbow Rescue Telford and Jelly Exotics Telford.
She has also fundraised for the Creature Comforts Rescue Centre in Mid-Wales, providing them with £3,000 to build an otter enclosure and new dog pens. This vital work has helped save three otters and 80 dogs and puppies that the centre previously would not have had room for.
Keira’s efforts go beyond simply raising money; she volunteers at Rainbow Rescue and has helped rehabilitate hundreds of animals. She is known for happily pitching in with any task and has been relentless in her fundraising, organising cake sales, bingo evenings, raffles, and tombola events.
In 2023, she started making craft items to sell, enabling her to support a further four animal rescue charities, including Hilbrae Dog Rescue and Cuan Wildlife Rescue.
The young fundraiser is often seen at events with a smile, chatting to people and raising awareness for the good causes she supports. She has also found time to arrange community litter-picking sessions and raise money for local food banks, delivering food parcels to those in need.
Keira will be presented with the BCyA Medal of Honour at The Palace of Westminster on 30th October 2025. Recipients are also invited to use the post-nominals ‘BCyA’ as a legacy of their achievements.
The BCyA, in partnership with Specsavers, is presented to only a small number of exceptional young individuals annually and is open to any person aged 18 or under who is committed to helping others.
Mike Faulkner, Director of the BCyA, said: “We are delighted to be able to recognise these amazing individuals with a BCyA. It is both heartening and uplifting to know that so many young people are consciously contributing to causes such as the environment, climate change, education, and creating awareness and fundraising for hospitals, medical research and charities.”
