THOUSANDS of hours on a variety of community projects have now been completed by West Devon volunteers lucky enough to win places with the Raleigh International Millennium Award Scheme launched last year.
Young people who were involved in the scheme took part in the experience of a lifetime undertaking community and environmental work in Ghana. They followed this up with their chosen projects at home in West Devon.
One of the organisations to benefit was CHICKS, which organises respite holidays for under-privileged children.
The Millennium Award winners organised additional residential breaks at the CHICKS base near Milton Abbot, which fostered team spirit and the building of self-esteem through outdoor activities and plenty of fun.
To date, 17 volunteers have clocked up 2,850 hours of work for CHICKS.
Other award-winners created and decorated a social room at Mary Tavy Youth Club.
And in Okehampton, a programme of sports and activity days for young people in the summer holidays was co-ordinated, in association with the town's community association OCRA.
Activities included scrap challenges, art workshops plus a variety of sporting events.
Sue Rouse, Millennium Award scheme manager, said: 'The main emphasis of the scheme was to work with a section of the community with an equal mix of male and female, urban and rural, from all backgrounds.
'Some of our award winners had difficulties with hearing, sight and physical mobility.
'They all took the plunge and committed themselves to 18 months of intensive work in Devon, Cornwall and Ghana — they deserve to be proud of all they have achieved.'