A National Citizen Service graduate from Barrow has urged young people to join a countrywide campaign in which teenagers will help their local communities recover from the effects of coronavirus.

Young people can now register to take part in social action this August and pledge 16 hours of activity as part of the Keep Doing Good - One Million Hours of Doing Good campaign launched by NCS.

In Cumbria, the NCS programme is delivered by training organisation Inspira, which has bases around the county.

Liam Edgley, an NCS graduate from Barrow, said it had been a great experience.

He said: "NCS has had a real impact on my life and it’s given me skills and opportunities that have lasted years.

"Sixteen hours of social action sounds like a lot but imagine the difference you could make to your local community.

"I’d definitely recommend getting involved."

Mark Bowman, chief executive of Inspira, said: “We are looking forward to getting young people involved with NCS and Keep Doing Good.

"Not only will they help their local communities, but they will also gain valuable skills and receive recognition for their contribution.

"Empowering young people to Keep Doing Good this summer is a crucial part of our wider support for people and businesses during this recovery period.

"Every young person who pledges 16 hours of their time will be making a real difference in their local area, and I’m looking forward to seeing the outcomes of their volunteering and social action projects.”

Opportunities for volunteers in Cumbria will include work to revive green spaces, supporting food banks and finding ways to connect with local people in their communities.