Young people have spent the summer giving back to their community with a number of charitable initiatives in West Norfolk.

They have been taking part in the government funded National Citizen Service (NCS), a scheme which gives 15-17 year olds a chance to help their community whilst learning valuable life skills, not taught in the classroom.

NCS members in West Norfolk have just completed a three week venture, organised through the College of West Anglia, which included a residential trip to learn new skills and a variety of group community projects.

One team has raised over £500 from a 32 mile sponsored walk for Red Wellies, a growing King’s Lynn charity. Red Wellies is a brain tumour research fund set up to support a desperately underfunded area of cancer research.

Fourteen young people walked from King’s Lynn to Hunstanton, slept overnight in the Scout’s hall on York Avenue in Hunstanton, then walked back to Heacham the following day.

Izzy Keen, team leader for the sponsored walk group, said: “I am very proud of how the team have grown since the first day of NCS. The skills they developed working together helped them through this tough walk. They have not only raised more than £500 for their chosen charity but also increased awareness for them too.”

Jamie Hall, also a NCS team leader, has overseen a team in revamping the playground and garden area at Applewood nursery in King’s Lynn. He said: “We felt that Applewood could really benefit from us helping out. I got our team together to do some painting and decorating throughout for a week and you can really see we have made a difference. One of the parents stopped to tell us how impressed she was by the progress.”

“It was a good opportunity, not just for me, but to help out other people too,” said Leah Arlott, one of the volunteers. “We discussed the idea with Jan Gyles, Applewood’s manager, and she helped us decide what to focus on for the Applewood project. I think she’ll be really happy with what we have achieved.”

Debbie Clark, deputy manager at Applewood, said: “The young people have been really helpful and truly nice young ladies and gentlemen to have around. They’ve made a real difference - I’m so pleased with them.”