Margaret scoops a top award for her youth work

MARGARET Walker, who has worked tirelessly for young people in Edinburgh for more than 30 years, has won Youth Worker of the Year at the annual National Youth Work Awards.

Ms Walker organises youth clubs throughout Buckstone. She first got involved after attending her local group 34 years ago, and was encouraged to continue their hard work.

She said: "I was surprised at the number of volunteers who gave up their time to enable me and my friends to have fun. This inspired me to want to run my own club one day."

After working with other youth clubs, Ms Walker began volunteering at The Lothian Association of Youth Clubs five years ago.

Here, along with other volunteers who she believes are "very undervalued", she has helped raise funds for the local primary school and nursery. Ms Walker also runs the weekly youth club, which has more than 60 members aged 10 to 12, and a weekly youth project attended by 30 13 to 16 year olds.

Working with the young people and seeing them work with each other to raise funds has made the job worthwhile for Ms Walker, who the youngsters know as 'Mags'.

"I've got so much back in return that it's been worth every minute," she said.

She particularly enjoyed the moment when two of the teenagers organised a successful community fun day, which more than 900 people attended, and said she likes it when young people from the club return as volunteers.

"Seeing the young people grow in confidence and raised self-esteem makes youth work all the more worthwhile," she said.

Ms Walker says the role hasn't always been easy. Funding is a struggle as the group receives very little from the council so fundraising is a major part of keeping the clubs going, but she said: "I hope we can continue to provide this essential provision for the young people in the Buckstone area as, unlike other areas, we do not have any local community centre."

Ms Walker accepted the award at a ceremony organised by Youthlink Scotland in Glasgow.

Ian Boardman, director of Lothian Association of Youth Clubs, said: "We thought it was time to get Margaret out of the shadows given 2010 saw her celebrate 30 years of youth work and the past 10 years at Buckstone to get the recognition she truly deserves."

The youth project is a registered charity. Donations can be made out to Buckstone Youth Project and sent to St Fillan's Church, Buckstone Drive, Edinburgh.