Your headlines of Thursday March 21st read ‘concern over Academy Plan’ for Budmouth College. That same evening I had the privilege of attending a presentation evening at Budmouth College.

This was a presentation to recognise the work a very small number of students put into the college by serving on committees and College Council, helping other students in many and various ways, raising money for charity and being seen in the community. These young people were modest and unassuming, lovely to talk with and a joy to see, nothing like the picture we get from the media of today’s young people. All the work they do is done in their own time, they miss breaks, including having lunch on the odd occasion, give up evenings and days as required and willingly start their day helping where needed.

No extra money or time is put into these young people, they work supervised by equally dedicated members of staff and often no-one even notices how much they all do - all this still continuing through the last few difficult years that Budmouth has had to contend with.

Hopefully once the Academy is established they will continue to promote this ethos. Well done to all the staff involved and the parents of these students, but mostly a very well done to the young people, you should be very proud of who you are and the rest of us should be grateful we have a future generation of caring, lovely people which are so sadly overlooked when so much attention is given to the troublemakers.

Tania Kimmins.

Wedgwood Road, Weymouth