NORTH Dorset MP Bob Walter has heard about the experiences of the young people taking part in this year’s National Citizen Service (NCS) programme in a visit to Blandford.

Each year the voluntary NCS programme offers thousands of 16-17- year-olds the chance to take part in a residential programme over summer.

Bob met with the NCS North Dorset group, made up of 10 young people from the Blandford, Shaftesbury, Gillingham and Dorchester areas. The programme of events, which was administered by Weymouth College, gave the group the chance to participate in a range of outdoor activities alongside the planning of their own community project. For their community project the group chose to stage a fashion show in the Dorford Centre in Dorchester with proceeds to the Dorchester Mencap charity shop.

Mr Walter said: “The NCS programme is a fantastic Government scheme that I believe gives teenagers from a wide variety of backgrounds the opportunity to learn skills that are essential later on in life such as leadership and team building. I hope they will continue to build on the skills learnt and the friendships made.”