National award hope for Bradford on Avon woman Lucy Hulbert-Brown

An inspirational young woman who has overcome substance and alcohol misuse and a background of truancy is in line for a national award.

Youth leader Lucy Hulbert-Brown, 23 of Bradford on Avon, is among three finalists for the Young Achiever of the Year at The Prince's Trust and Samsung Celebrate Success Awards.

The ceremony on March 26, hosted by Ant and Dec, recognises the achievements of young people supported by the trust who have succeeded against the odds.

Lucy supported her mother from a very young age, looking after her two brothers, cooking and cleaning.

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When one of her brothers was taken into care, Lucy felt like she had failed and her life deteriorated further. She started drinking heavily, misusing substances and truanting.

Her schoolwork inevitably suffered and as a result she got poor GCSEs.

She later got into a destructive relationship where she was pressured into terminating a pregnancy. Two years later, still struggling to come to terms with this, Lucy took an overdose.

After living with her aunt for three years, Lucy went back home to help run a family business, but it closed, leaving her jobless.

Lucy’s lack of computer skills affected her confidence and she began to believe that she would never find a job.

Then she came across the trust and she joined the youth charity’s Team programme, a scheme providing workplace skills and confidence to unemployed young people.

She then undertook a two-week work placement at a youth centre and was thrilled when she was immediately offered part-time work, and has since gained her level three youth work qualification.

Lucy said: “In my job as a youth worker I see young people every day who don’t have the digital skills to move forward. I’m so proud that I’m now in a position to help.”

Lucy has recently become an ambassador for the trust

She said: “There is no doubt the trust has turned my life around. By helping me to deal with the difficulties and trauma I faced in the past they have enabled me to look towards a much brighter future.”