Police award win for inspirational Awsworth pupil after tragic loss of her twin brother
An inspirational Awsworth pupil who has shown “strength, courage and kindness” since the unimaginable loss of her twin brother has been recognised with a prestigious police award.
Poppy Henson’s world was changed forever when she suffered the devastating loss of her twin brother, Marley, to an incurable brain tumour in February 2025.
Despite this, the 10-year-old has shown extraordinary emotional maturity, resilience, and compassion. In the classroom at school, Poppy is a model pupil and often supports her peers, offering empathy when others are struggling.
Andrea Grocutt, Poppy’s school headteacher, from Awsworth Primary School said: “I’ve been teaching for almost 30 years, and I can genuinely say she is the most incredible student I’ve ever had the privilege of teaching.
“She has faced an unimaginable loss and experienced grief that no child should have to endure.
“But the strength that little girl has is not loud or boastful; it's quiet, it's steady, it's genuine. She is an absolute inspiration.
“This shows that even in the darkest of moments, there’s always light – and that’s Poppy.”
After being nominated by her school, Poppy has been awarded this year’s Rising Above Adversity Award, which recognises a young person who, despite their background or upbringing, is an inspiration to others.
The award is part of the Nxt Gen Awards, launched by Nottinghamshire Police in 2021 to highlight the inspiring work of young people across the county.
Loretta Henson, Poppy’s mum, said: “She is one of the strongest people, at only 10 years old, that I know. She just chooses every day to be kind.”
In the months that followed, the community and primary school in Awsworth rallied behind the family and came together to fundraise more than £10,000 to build a new, dedicated play area.
In November 2025, a disused area of the school playground was transformed into ‘Marley’s Retreat’, featuring new equipment and a memory garden.
Poppy said: “Marley’s retreat is about having fun and remembering the nice brother he was. It means that Marley will always be here with me.”
Loretta added: “We thought that it would be an amazing idea to do a memory garden for Marley and use this space so that Poppy and all the school community can use it to just remember Marley in a positive, beautiful, bright way.
“We raised an incredible amount of money, and then the community itself helped to build this beautiful garden. It’s one of my favourite places in the world.”