A POPULAR Kendal club for disabled children and young people has been given the seal of approval by the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.

The charity YouthAbility Cumbria runs the Buzz Club at Beezon Fields, off Sandes Avenue, where seven to 25-year-olds enjoy confidence-building activities such as arts and crafts, cooking, archery, go-karting, climbing and indoor caving.

Staff at the project, which is part of the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability, are delighted that it has now been approved by the prestigious DofE Awards scheme as a volunteering provider. This means voluntary work for YouthAbility is now pre-approved to count towards the award.

YouthAbility clubs for young people with physical, sensory and learning difficulties also take place in Penrith and Barrow-in-Furness, helping to develop skills and lead to a smoother path into adulthood and a more independent life.

Young people without disabilities are also welcomed warmly "to help break down barriers and attitudes towards disability", says the charity.

YouthAbility sets out to make the most of its younger volunteers’ talents, from music to art, sport and drama, with DofE participants and the young people of Buzz Club working together to come up with creative ideas for volunteering activities and youth club sessions.

Hannah Fairlamb, 18, of Langwathby, supported Buzz Club for a year as part of her Gold DofE Award, putting in 150 voluntary hours.

"I loved volunteering with Leonard Cheshire as I felt I made a good contribution to the organisation and my local community," said Hannah. "I also gained social confidence and experience with youth disabilities. The day trips were a highlight, and I enjoyed getting so involved with all the activities like climbing and swimming. I felt most rewarded from the relationships I built with the young adults and seeing them grow up over the time I volunteered alongside them."

The charity's enabling coordinator, Helen Towers, added: "Hannah gained valuable experience and confidence in working with young people with disabilities."

- Leonard Cheshire Disability is the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of services for disabled people. For more, visit www.leonardcheshire.org or follow on Twitter @leonardcheshire