Coffee mornings, a sponsored walk and a car wash - busy week for Rotherham's NCS teens

Jasmine Tuxford (16), of West Melton, is part of a team of ten students who are taking part in the National Citizens Service (NCS) through the Rotherham United Community Sports Trust (RUCST).

NCS is a Government-backed four-week programme for students aged 15, 16 and 17 from across the UK which aims to build people’s confidence and help them engage with their communities.

The final week of the programme sees teams such as Jasmine’s raising money for charity by holding events in the community.

Jasmine’s team, known as Team Seven, are raising money for the Mayor’s Charities —  homelessness charity Shiloh, Rotherham Hospice and RUCST.

Her teammates include Josh Carroll, Ben Yates, Nakai Zambe, Jamie Walker, Aiden Law, Idrees Munir, Sophie Knight, Libby Wilson and Ellie Cook.

They held a coffee morning at Rotherham College at 9am today (Monday), which raised more than £40, and they will be holding the event again tomorrow and on Wednesday, from 9am.

Tonight (Monday), Jasmine and her team will be taking part in a sponsored night walk from Wicklersley School to the New York Stadium at 10pm.

The walk is 4.2 miles and will take the team around 90 minutes to complete. Each team member set themselves a target of raising at least £50.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), the team will be taking part in a sponsored indoor triathlon at Rotherham Leisure Centre.

They will be rowing, cycling and running a total distance of 10km and each member is aiming to raise at least £50.

Jasmine has so far raised £172.

On Wednesday, vistors to The Homestead pub on Wickersley can get their cars or vehicles gleaming  with the help of Jasmine and her friends.

The team will be washing cars for between £4 and £10 with all proceeds going to the Mayor’s Charities and the following day Team Seven will be packing bags for customers at Tesco in Wath from 9am to 3.30pm.

The team will finish their fundraising with an event at Wath Rugby Club at 6pm on Thursday where members of all of Rotherham’s NCS teams will be playing with and against members of Wath Rugby Club.

The rugby event will also include live entertainment from band Here’s Johnny and a barbecue.

Team Seven spent the first week of their programme at an outdoor activity centre in Swindon where they got to know each other while enjoying activities such as abseiling, rock climbing and assault courses.

The team spent their second week learning how to live independently at student halls at Sheffield Hallam University and last week the team spent time at Rotherham College planning their social action week.

Jasmine said: “We have met new people and we have learned how to be independent and organise things ourselves.

“We have been ringing up different businesses and getting their feedback and learning that it’s not as simple as we think it might be.

“It gives you some life experience.”