270 Young Leaders from Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy, Lancaster completed the Archbishop of York Youth Trust’s KS3 Young Leaders Award this week. Today, these Young Leaders will receive their badges and certificates at the school chapel, celebrating their work over the course of the Award.

As a result of the Award, students organised a Christmas shoebox appeal for young people, undertook gardening activities and clean-up projects at a number of local community centres and parks, as well as visiting St John’s Hospice to serve the local residents.

Helen Ballard, Head of RE at Ripley St Thomas said;

“This is our second year of running the Archbishop of York Youth Trust’s Young Leaders Award and we are delighted by the way that our students embrace the challenge and are empowered to serve others through the programme. We’re looking forward to next year and seeing many more of our students ‘being the change they want to see’.

Young Leaders Award student Alicja Kowalska said:

“Through volunteering I have learnt that you shouldn’t think about yourself all the time and there are a lot of people in need.”

Student, George Foulkes said:

“I have learnt that when putting people’s needs in front of mine, I can still have fun.”

Dan Finn, Director of the Youth Trust, who will be presenting the students with their Awards said:

“It’s amazing to see and hear about all the things these young people have done to serve others and make a real difference in their local community through the Award. I hope they take the message of ‘serving others’ into everything that they do and that this course continues to inspire them for many years to come. Congratulations to Lancaster’s leaders!”

All photos in this release courtesy of Alex Worthington