A dedicated volunteer has received a national prize in recognition of the community projects he organises on the Island.

Travis Illsley won the Make a Difference Award from the British Youth Council’s Youth on Board 2014 Awards, it was announced last week.

The 22-year-old was put forward for the accolade by Sheppey Matters, where he works in admin and as a cleaner.

The former Minster College pupil raises the funding for many of the schemes he organises and gave up time to work at Sheppey FM to teach others about being on the radio through an initiative paid for by the charity vInspired.

The organisation also helped him arrange a winter wonderland at Sheppey Matters, at the Sheppey Healthy Living Centre, off Royal Road, Sheerness, last Christmas.

The Hope Street resident successfully put together a bid for £1,200 from police and crime commissioner Ann Barnes, which went towards summer activities for young people aimed at cutting anti-social behaviour.

P&O Ferries and Kent Sport paid for football training course over Easter and Mr Illsley was given £5,000 for his Island Young Arts project by Ideas test to share out to people who want to get involved in the arts and make a difference in their community.

He is now attempting to branch out by setting up Swale Communities Together an organisation which aims to build links with people across the borough.

He is running a computer training course at Age UK Sheppey.

He said: “I was quite pleased that the work that I do has been noticed. I had an inkling [I had been nominated] but you can never be sure.

“I like to make a difference. There are a number of different areas in the community that need assistance in some way like crime prevention, youth development, health and wellbeing.

“I just like to change people’s lives a little bit or make their lives better by running different projects.”