Sir Oliver Heald MP and the mayor of Royston, Sarah Dingley, helped Meridian School celebrate the success of a peer support programme.

The programme, run by Be Who You Dare, was the idea of deputy head girls Annabel Gee and Chloe Gobell (pictured), who wanted to support pupils with the daily challenges faced at school and to promote mental health wellbeing. The pupils, who met with a sixth form mentor each week, said it has helped in many ways such as boosting their grades, bullying and family issues. They said they now feel more confident and less stressed and anxious.

The sixth form mentors also said they had enhanced their communication, problem solving and leadership skills and all felt a sense of self-fulfilment in helping someone else. The school is appealing to local businesses to sponsor the programme to allow it to continue next year.

Contact Rachel Breskal from Be Who You Dare at Rachel.breskal@bewhoyoudare.co.uk.