By Community Correspondent Sophie Swithinbank.

The YPI programme is designed to help young people develop community awareness. The 200 students taking part separated into groups and researched numerous Hounslow charities. Each group decided which charity they thought would create the most positive change to serve majority and minority groups in the community. The students then had to present their reasons for why their charity was most deserving of the money raised.

Six finalist groups made their presentations to representatives of YPI. The winning group successfully campaigned for Radio West Middlesex, a hospital radio charity, to receive the money. The triumphant Gumley girls willingly handed over a cheque for £3,000 after all their hard work, passionately campaigning for Radio West Middlesex.

The charity has said that the money will go towards increasing the service to more patients, therefore creating a positive change in the hospital community. Hospital is an undesirable experience for most people, so the radio charity will really help to improve patient’s time there. Furthermore, the students themselves have benefitted from taking part in the initiative. Teachers at Gumley House Convent School have remarked that the students have developed a sincere understanding of the challenges facing communities today and have been inspired to change society for the better. The wonderful aspect of this scheme is that is it not simply about giving money, but also about getting involved, giving up your time voluntarily and caring about a wider community.