Thumbs up from Prime Minister for Grantham teenagers

The youngsters have been awarded certificates, signed by Mrs May, after graduating from the National Citizen Service (NCS), a programme in which they created social action projects they were passionate about. Some of them chose to dedicate a project to a charity, raising £200 by organising a bake sale and a 187-mile ride on static bikes.

The teenagers gave up their school summer holidays to spend four weeks on the NCS programme, spending time living away from home, taking in outward bound activities and learning key skills for work and life.

Among them was 16-year-old Daisy Shippey, from Grantham, who said: “I really enjoyed NCS as it pushed me outside of my comfort zone. It is such an incredible experience that opens you up to new situations, and I would recommend it to anyone.

“It was great to see my group grow in confidence and gain skills in talking to people. I made a real bond with Ruth, a girl who has Down’s syndrome, and I was so proud of everything she achieved.”