A YOUNGSTER who strives to give a voice to disabled footballers has received national recognition for his work.

Herefordshire FA Youth Council chairman Cameron Wood has been named the national winner of the prestigious Rising Star of the Year award.

The FA & McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards recognise and celebrate the tireless volunteers who dedicate countless hours to inspire those in the grassroots community.

The awards held a special significance this year, as they also celebrated those who have done exceptional things during the pandemic to support their clubs and communities.

The troubles of the pandemic have hit young people in some of the hardest ways, with many suffering with mental health and isolation over lockdown.

Wood established a podcast for the Herefordshire FA Youth Council to help young people suffering with poor mental health and loneliness.

It allowed young people from across the country to talk about topics such as mental health, disability, discrimination and sexuality, as well as football, and helped so many feel connected during a difficult time.

Wood has never let having Cerebral Palsy define him or be an obstacle to his tremendous ambition and dedication to helping disabled footballers play the game they love.

He strives to give a voice not only to those with disabilities but for all young people within Herefordshire and the football community.

If all of that impact was not enough, Wood is also the chair of the Herefordshire FA Youth Council, which involves him engaging with schools and junior teams to get their views on local football provision.

All of this hard work makes Wood an outstanding rising star and deserving recipient of this award.

Wood accepted his award from football legend Jack Rutter ahead of The FA Community Shield, supported by McDonald’s, which saw Premier League champions Manchester City play Emirates FA Cup winners Leicester City.

“It has been a really tough year for the grassroots football community," said McDonald’s ambassador Jack Rutter.

"That’s why I’m so proud to be here at Wembley to honour these incredible winners. Cameron should be extremely proud of his accomplishments and I’m confident he has a very bright future ahead of him.

"It’s an honour to be an ambassador for McDonald’s grassroots football programme."