Listen to the Shields singer who wowed the Best of South Tyneside audience

The search has begun to find the 2019 Young Performer of the Year category winner.

Whoever wins, they will follow in the footsteps of a 13-year-old who will be performing at the first charity ball for the Charlie Gard Foundation later in the year.

She also just missed out on making it to the televised stages of ITV show The Voice Kids after making it to the final audition rounds last year.

She also won an open mic event at a South Shields restaurant and has previously been the guest singer at the Sunderland & South Tyneside Best of Health Awards.

But one of her most memorable moments was the night she was crowned Young Performer of the Year at the Gazette-run competition.

Proud mum Dora reflected on the night when Amelia, a Mortimer Comprehensive student, was announced as the best of a hugely talented shortlist.

“It was amazing. You are waiting for the result and your stomach is turning and then they announce the winner. It all happened so fast.

“But it was an excellent night. I was ecstatic. Amelia was in shock, I think.”

Dora urged people to put forward their own nominations for this year’s competition and said: “It is such a boost to their confidence.”

Previous winners of the Young Performer category have included X Factor champions Joe McElderry and Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall.

The Best of South Tyneside awards, this year, have the support of Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, Barbour, JML, Harlow Print, UTS, and Warmseal. We thank them all.

Other categories in this year’s competition are;

Green Champion of the Year.

Child of Achievement.

Fundraiser of the Year.

Entrepreneur of the Year.

Local Hero Award.

Sporting Excellence/Young Sportsperson of the Year.

Sports Team of the Year.

Community Champion.

Student of the Year.

Community Group.

Small Business of the Year.

Large Business of the Year.

Child of Courage

Young Performer of the Year.

Lifetime Contribution.

Special Recognition.

•To nominate, please send us the full name, phone number and email address, of the person you wish to nominate and the category you want to nominate them for, along with a brief description of why they are worthy of an award.

And if you are submitting an entry in the Young Performer category, send us a video of them performing.

Send your entries by email to: [email protected].