Our Heroes award for Gainsborough girl who helped cheer up her isolated neighbours during lockdown

Paighton Lockyer is only 12-years-old but has already done so much for residents of Fielding Way, Gainsborough.

During the festive season in 2020, Paighton noticed that many of her neighbours were feeling isolated and lonely due to the pandemic and national lockdown.

To spread happiness and kindness, Paighton gifted her community with bundles of handmade cards and craft items, along with wordsearch books and yummy treats – and even hired an ice cream van to bring smiles to people’s faces.

After sending handmade invites to residents, Paighton found happiness in seeing lonely neighbours meet and people enjoying free ice cream.

Paighton said: “It helped me too. I knew that once a month, they would see a friendly face and have someone to talk to.

"They didn't feel as lonely and I think they liked talking to me as much as I liked talking to them.”

Now, Paighton has scooped the Young Person of the Year Award from housing charity Acis Group as part of its Our Heroes celebrations.

Acis Group, which owns and manages about 7,000 homes across the Midlands and North, celebrates unsung heroes within its communities.

The annual awards, Our Heroes, had been delayed since 2019 due to the pandemic but has since returned and winners were announced in February.