A 17-year-old who campaigns for blood donations has been entered into a competition that hails the achievements of young people.

Rachel Renak, of Park Crescent, Elstree, has been nominated for a YOPEY, or Smith Milne Young People of the Year award, for her work to encourage people to give blood after her four-year-old brother died from a rare form of liver cancer.

After Joel died, the family set up The Joely Bear Appeal and have since raised more than £100,000, with around 1,500 supporters giving more than 8,000 units of blood.

Even though Rachel was born after her brother died, she has always been aware of what he meant to the family.

Along with helping out at blood drives, and now she has turned 17 she has donated blood herself, the A-level student decided to do an assembly at Watford Girl’s Grammar School to 700 students about the importance of becoming a blood donor.

She said: “I thought it was important that we get people my age involved but I needed to construct the assembly in a way that made people pay attention. I didn’t want to frighten anyone off and I certainly didn’t want any to faint.

“I got a lot of positive feedback and a couple of the teachers came to the blood donation sessions.”

The charity hold a number of blood donor sessions each year, with the most recent drive being held at the Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue, in Croxdale Road.

Rachel was nominated for the award by her teacher Penelope MacEwen, who said: “Rachel is very charismatic and although you could sense the tremor on her voice as she spoke about her baby brother, she was able to talk about how many young people are affected nationally by blood cancer and about the need for donors and the general need for blood.

“She works hard for the family charity and seems more confident to speak to a large number of people than I would be.”

The award founder Tony Gearing said: “This is obviously a deeply personal story and Rachel is doing all she can in memory of her brother. But at the same time she is providing a wonderful service for the wider community.”

The competition final will be held this autumn, where organisers will give away a top prize of £400 for the winner and another £400 for a good cause of their choice.