A six-year-old boy has received a British Citizen Youth Award after dedicating hours of work to improve the community.
Charles, from Wimbledon, has been recognised for committing 112 hours to volunteer for his local community to keep the area clean and cared for.
The young boy has cleared 35 bags of rubbish, planted six trees and cared for two trees provided by Merton Council.
He has taken part in litter picking, community gardening and tree planting across areas including Wimbledon Village, Wimbledon Common and Morden Park since September 2025.
Charles has also made multiple appearances at Ridgway Community Garden by planting hundreds of seeds, bulbs, flowers and vegetables whilst clearing leaves in the meantime.
Christopher John Ozga, Charles’ father, said: “We are incredibly proud of Charles and the enthusiasm he shows for helping his community.
“He genuinely cares about keeping Wimbledon’s green spaces clean, safe and enjoyable for everyone.
“We hope his enthusiasm might inspire other young people to get involved in their own communities too.”
Charles, accompanied with other young people from across the UK, was presented with the British Citizen Youth Award (BCyA) Medal of Honour at The Palace of Westminster.
The BCyA, in partnership with Specsavers, honours young people from across the UK who have made a positive impact on their communities and wider society.
Mike Faulkner, Director of the BCyA, said: “For 10 years we have been recognising the incredible achievements of young people across the country with The British Citizen Youth Awards.
“These selfless individuals have shown kindness and commitment to a multitude of causes, raising much needed funds and awareness for the wider community.
“It’s a privilege to oversee the awards and shine a light on the amazing work they’ve done.”
The award was presented by CBBC presenter Ben Shires, in front of his family, fellow award recipients and BCyA Patron Dame Mary Perkins.
Dame Mary Perkins, founder of Specsavers and BCyA Patron, said: “Charles is a true community champion whose kindness, commitment and dedication have made a lasting difference to the lives of others.
“Shows how one person can make a real difference.”
“At Specsavers, we are proud to support the communities we serve and celebrate people like Charles, whose contribution helps make communities stronger.
Charles’ efforts started after spotting a Forest e-bike dumped in the middle of Rushmere Pond on Wimbledon Common.
He asked for help reporting it and later raised concerns about another abandoned e-bike and brought wider attention to the issue.
He contacted his local councillor, MP and the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Rangers, with all three responding to thank him.
A letter was then awarded from the Rangers Deputy CEO recognising his outstanding support and awarded him a ‘Commons Hero’ certificate in June 2026.
Local councillor, Daniel Holden, visited the Rangers to discuss what support could be provided around e-bike use on the Commons, while Charles helped prepare a question on the issue for consideration at a Merton Council meeting in July 2026.
The Council later confirmed it had prepared a three-month plan to review e-bike use on the Commons.
Charles plans to continue caring for green spaces across Wimbledon, while encouraging other young children to volunteer, due to his passion for protecting the environment.
Featured image credit: The British Citizen Youth Awards
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