A YOUTH scheme in Whitchurch received the top honour in the Community Project category.

The Whitchurch Youth Project puts on Friday evening activities for 10 to 14-year-old children at the Gill Nethercott Centre, in Winchester Road, Whitchurch.

It also runs a Youth Café project for older teenagers.

The scheme started ten years ago and now attracts more than 50 children to the younger club every Friday evening, which gives kids a chance to relax and socialise in a safe environment.

The group also runs trips away on weekends, which helps children who might not have the opportunity to travel, to see more of the county.

Two of the volunteers who run the group, Nance Miller and Liz Dermody, took to the stage to receive the award from Julian Chun, operations director at Sentinel Housing Association, which sponsored the award.

Nance said: “It is absolutely brilliant but it is not about us, it is the project that has won the award.

“Without the volunteers, of which we have about 15, we would not be able to do it.”

Julian said: “From games, food and drink to regular sporting and cultural trips, there’s something for everyone.

“There’s also a great flow of volunteers coming from the club membership which is testament to the positive impact the project has on the members and the wider community.”

The other finalists were Basingstoke Parkrun, which regularly attracts 300 people to run 5km around the War Memorial Park every Saturday, and Inspero Love2Grow, which gives young people in Basingstoke the chance to grow their own food and learn about healthy eating.