THE Rotary Club of Tavistock presented 26-year- old Ben Palmer with an award certificate recently, in recognition of his completing the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA).

The week-long course was held at Brimpts Farm on Dartmoor and is designed to build self-confidence and leadership skills through a programme of outdoor activities along with a series of projects and lectures from high achieving people in the area.

Ben, who works as a residential sales negotiator at Ward and Chowen's Tavistock office, told the club that his abiding memory would be a recurring feeling that with determination, you could achieve many things that you thought would be impossible.

Ben said that he started the week with some doubts about his ability to carry out several of the demanding tasks that were meant to identify an individual's strengths and weaknesses but, along with the other 39 course members, by the end of the week he was desperate not to go home.

He said had enjoyed the whole experience and thanked the Rotary Club for giving him the opportunity to improve his leadership and team-building skills which have already made a difference both in his working and personal life.