A 13-YEAR-old with a heart of gold from Oldham has become the youngest person to be awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen's New Year Honours List.

Ibrahim Yousaf, of Werneth, has raised thousands of pounds for charity despite his own health problems.

At the age of 12 he started by donating all his birthday money to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital (RMCH), where he is also a patient, as well as raising awareness on Twitter.

Selfless Ibrahim also supports the Maggie's a cancer support centre based at the Royal Oldham Hospital, where patients and their families get free practical, emotional and social support.

In just eight months he has managed to raise £1310.51 for the charity.

The Hathershaw College student fundraises for other local charities including Oldham food bank, Oldham Food Aid Hub, Dr Kershaw's Hospice and Oldham Mayor's Charities, raising over £2,000 for local charities in total.

The citation says: "This young man aged 13 has been awarded a BEM for services to his community of Oldham Ibrahim is helping 11 charities on twitter raising awareness & funds for them on @sugs75, despite battling with health problems of his own."

In July, he was awarded the British Citizen Youth Award, presented to him at his school in Oldham.

Ibrahim, who was diagnosed with severe asthma when he was four and has attended Royal Manchester’s Children’s Hospital for treatment ever since, has become a social media sensation with Facebook shares and retweets of his charity exploits generating hundreds of pounds at a time.

Ibrahim told The Oldham Times: "I truly believe the real stars are the charities not me and that they deserve the recognition.

"When the letter came from the Honours Department on the envelope it said On Her Majesty’s Service I said to my parents 'I think 007 needs my help to raise awareness of his new film', but then realised it was not 007 as the envelope also had Cabinet Office on it.

"When I opened the letter I was in complete shock that I was being awarded a BEM for my campaign.

"I never expected this especially at my age to be receiving this, but I felt that my charities deserved this not me as they are the real heroes.

"But I knew how much this is going to mean to my charities and| my amazing home town. I am just so humbled and overwhelmed.

"The hardest part is that I couldn't tell anyone as the letter said 'In Strict Confidence'.

"I am not good at keeping secrets but knew I could not tell anyone so just keeping it to myself as I really wanted to tell my charities, my outstanding teachers, my friends, my followers. my hospitals. But I had to keep it to myself."

Also recognised in the New Years list is Alan Wrigley, for services to charity; Mohammed Tariq Rafique, for services to the Greater Manchester community; and Hilda Broadbent, a care assistant at Royley House Care Home, for services to older people and to dementia care.

Mr Wrigley, aged 86, has raised more than £70,000 for various charities and has hit the headlines in the past after receiving a Mayor's citation and Man of Rochdale award, as well as featuring in an ITV documentary.

Through his continued work at DIY retailer B&Q Mr Wrigley has spent £1,000 every year on sweets for children and customers of the store while appealing for donations.

He has also raised more than £50,000 for Springhill Hospice in Rochdale since the loss of his wife eight ago, including by doing daredevil bungee and parachute jumps.

The hospice requires £8,200 every day to operate and provide specialist palliative care. Mr Wrigley's donations have enabled the hospice to continue to offer physical, psychological and emotional care for patients with life limiting illness and their families, friends and carers.

His latest success has been in transforming the old car park into a tea rooms for the hospice, boasting a decked and paved area, with all profits made by the cafe going back to the hospice.

Mr Rafique has worked assisting statutory organisations, such as the NHS and police, through his dedication to the Oldham Race Equality Partnership (OREP), supporting victims of hate crimes, organising crisis meetings in communities, and advocating on behalf of minority and migrant communities.

He has also worked with a variety of schools across Oldham mentoring students and young people, mediating issues, and bridging the gap between communities, schools, the local authority, partner agencies and youth work groups.