STUDENT Ashleigh Rolling was guest-of-honour at the annual Lions International meeting.

For Ashleigh (17), of Pendennis Close, Radcliffe, won the 2004 Young Ambassador Award for her charity work in the national finals of a Lions Club competition.

She was nominated by Jackie Sorfleet, a member of Bury Lions. Ashleigh gave a presentation at this year's meeting at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel in Clayton-le-Moors.

Ashleigh, who became a member of the Children of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust while she was a pupil at Bury Church of England High School, told the gathering how she planned to split the £750 award between providing water holes in Kenya, a centre that educates young Kenyans on how to look after the wildlife and habitat and a new sports hall in Kenya.

The Children of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has already raised thousands of pounds to fund environmental projects for a wildlife park in Africa, and recently raised £70,000 for the conservation of elephants and other animals and for the education of children in Kenya.

Ashleigh said: "I won the award because of my charity work with the trust. I was very honoured that people picked me from everyone else."

Ashleigh is studying A-levels at Holy Cross College, Bury.

Heather Parker (12), a student at Bury C of E High also attended the convention.

She won the 2004 Peace Poster award along with £100.