THE Sir Samuel Mico Trust celebrated another successful year of the charity with a church ceremony and reception in Weymouth.

As part of a 349-year-old tradition, the trustees and the young people it has helped over the past year gathered to celebrate the achievements of those who have used the charity.

The main aim of the Sir Samuel Mico Trust is to help young people into work and over the past year, it has helped launch 95 youngsters into their chosen careers, with 15 of those being sixth form students from Budmouth College on a scholarship with the trust.

Gary Hepburn, chairman of the trust, said: “It was fantastic to see so many youngsters from Weymouth and Portland attend.

“We have got some really inspirational youngsters here that are the future of this town. The scholarship scheme is brilliant, these are young people from Weymouth and Portland that need our help to fulfil their ambitions.

“We are really pleased to give them the scholarship money to help them to follow Sir Samuel Mico’s wishes of 349 years ago, and to keep his legacy going.”

Serita Shone, a bobsledder for Team GB and from Weymouth, was a special guest at the ceremony and also received a cheque for £1,000 from the trust.

She said: “It is a great opportunity for young people to get on with their dreams and aims.

“Taking a risk and opportunity can give you so much and it can also help to teach you something about yourselves. These types of scholarships give young people the opportunity to sell themselves with the aid of people who want to help you.

“The success and the stories they have behind them is great, and I really hope that these scholarships help them achieve their ambitions.

Charley Vincent was part of the scholarship scheme which allowed him to spend a year at a musical theatre in London, teaching dance classes.

He said: “I am really pleased with how the scholarship has gone and the opportunity it has given me.

“It would have been very difficult to achieve that without the programme, and I am very grateful for that.”