IN the age of the ASBO, the accusation that newspapers give young people a bad name flies across editors' desks with increasing regularity.

The common perception is that the yobs, a tiny minority of young people, get more than their fair share of headlines, while the vast majority of decent youngsters don't get enough credit.

It was therefore a pleasure to attend one of my favourite annual events last Friday, the Shrievalty Awards for young people, staged in the magnificent setting of Durham Castle.

It is an occasion designed to put the achievements of young people in the spotlight, and a glorious opportunity to help redress the balance between good news and bad.

A heart-warming array of young crimebusters, carers, community workers, anti-bullying volunteers, and fundraisers all came to the stage to be celebrated for being inspirational, dedicated and special.

With every respect to all the award-winners, there was one story which struck me as a particularly moving example of the power of youth.

Briony Thompson is 16, lives in St John's Chapel in Weardale and is a member of the Stanhope Silver Band.

Briony was inspired by the work of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and set out to support the "Make Poverty History" campaign in a remarkable way. She bombarded the celebrities with emails, seeking permission to have a composer arrange their song, Do They Know It's Christmas, for a brass band.

The end result was the creation of Brass Band Aid, and a CD of songs, featuring four other local bands, which has so far raised more than £15,500. Briony couldn't be at Durham Castle to collect her award because she was in Ethiopia, seeing how the money is keeping open the only school serving a population of 350,000.

It would be doing Briony a great injustice to describe her as a shining example to young people. She is a shining example to people of all ages.

And it was a joy to celebrate her achievements - and those of the other young award-winners - through the pages of The Northern Echo.

THE Tees Valley Further Education Awards provided another opportunity to publish good news.

The overall Student of the Year was 24-year-old James Oliver, of Cleveland College of Art and Design. James defied medical advice to complete his entertainment design craft degree despite twice having to overcome cancer.

He has now been told he has cancer again, but said with a smile: "I'm known for being stubborn."

THERE is comfort to be found in the knowledge that we all make mistakes.

Broadcaster Alan Wright, who compered the Tees Valley Further Education Awards with Wendy Gibson, mentioned a recent correction and apology in the Kent Messenger:

"A report last week incorrectly stated that the Maidstone Club in Earl Street is a lawyers' club. It is, in fact, a gentlemen's club. We apologise for the error."