TEENAGERS in Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland have marked the end of their National Citizen Service (NCS) course by holding a number of different charity events and launches.

The students all signed up to the NCS programme at the start of the year, which was based at Weymouth College, and have spent the last month in different teams taking part in different activities and events as well as organising their final events to mark the end of the course.

All of those taking part in the course, which runs from different colleges all over the country, are aged between 16 and 17 and allows them to take part in activities during the school summer holidays and raise money for charity.

The group of teenagers in Dorchester held a table top sale, a car boot sale and a charity fashion show at the Dorford Centre to raise money for the Mencap charity, which has just opened a charity shop in the county town.

Abi Spracklen, 16, was one of those who helped organise the event and the group managed to raise £506, half of which was donated to the Mencap store and the other half used to cover costs.

Miss Spracklen said: “The whole four weeks has been incredible. We all did so many things and I would really recommend it to anyone. I wouldn’t say there was one highlight, just the feeling of helping out in the community, it’s been great really. I’m very pleased with the way everything has all gone.”

Christina Deeney and 11 other students from Weymouth College launched a new website called exploreportland.org.uk Five members of the group live on the island and said they wanted to create a website for local young people that would encourage them to get outside more.

Miss Deeney said: “We launched the website because we wanted to let the young people of Portland know that there are some great activities for them to do on the island.

“The whole program has been really fun, we have done lots of fun activities such as sailing and rock climbing and I have really enjoyed it.”

Kien Thompson, from Weymouth College, who led one of the NCS teams, said: “I’m really proud of the students this summer and delighted they’ve been able to make a difference for such worthy causes.

“It’s great to see the passion and enthusiasm of the region’s young people, supported by the NCS project and Weymouth College, is having a really positive effect in our local community.”