A town’s youngest councillor has scooped a national award for her fitness business.

Blaenavon Town Council member Georgina James was named runner-up in the 2021 Best of Welsh Business Awards’ Health & Wellbeing Business category for her GEEJ Coaching enterprise at the awards night in Cardiff.

GEEJ is not even Georgie’s day job, as she is Schools Co-ordinator with local housing association Melin Homes, working with the Heritage VC Primary School, on events and intergenerational projects across the five former Gwent local authority areas.

The town council posted; “We would like to say a big congratulations to our youngest member, Cllr Georgina James, on winning a national award for her fitness business.

“She runs five weekly dance fitness classes across Torfaen, offered online coaching throughout the lockdown, and even has an activewear line.

“The business recently expanded to include new instructor Caitlin Williams, a familiar face in Blaenavon due to her jobs as receptionist at the Medical Centre and manager of the Cellar wine bar.

“Well done, Georgie – your energy and commitment are an inspiration to us all!”

Cllr James is the council’s second youngest ever councillor - just a year older than a woman who later went on to be her primary school teacher.

Co-opted last summer, she is a voice for young people on the council, which currently has its youngest ever mayor in Cllr Liam Cowles, who took on the office last year at just 28.

Georgina was a year older when she joined the council than her one-time St Peter’s Primary School teacher Helena Williams (formerly Cllr Helena Jones), who was elected in 1979.

She has previously spoken at Wales Audit Office events, representing the young people of Blaenavon, and travelled to Cambodia and Brazil to work on charity house builds.

Serving as a trustee of the Workmen’s Hall in 2017, Georgina is also a Neuro Linguistic Practitioner, coaching people to achieve their goals and change their mindsets to a more positive light.

Cllr Cowles said at the time she joined the council: “We are very lucky to have someone with Georgina’s energy and passion for helping people of all ages join our team - she will be a great asset.

“It’s also good for me, personally, as I will no longer be the youngest councillor this term!”