MORE than 600 teenagers have been helping to make Bolton a better place this summer.

From helping donate food to grafting in gardens, the youngsters have been trying to make a difference as part of the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme.

Organised by Bolton Lads and Girls Club, the 15-to-17-years-olds from different backgrounds have taken part in a month-long diary of activities aimed at improving their life and work skills.

Club NCS manager Alison Wood, said: "It’s been an amazing summer, to see the journey these young people have been on has blown me away.

"To watch them build relationships and friendships which will last a lifetime and connect with their community has demonstrated my faith in young people."

The theme for this year's programme was Change Your Summer and the club is celebrating the achievements of young people.

Split into six groups, known as waves, the journey saw them developing teamwork and leadership skills, managing budgets and supporting the work of local organisations by giving back to the community.

One group have been hitting the ground hard and getting stuck in at the Royal Bolton Hospital laying the groundwork for a sensory garden in the ophthalmology department.

Bolton NHS Charitable Trust fundraiser Andy Lee said: "The garden needed a bit of modernisation and was ready for a makeover. Somebody many years ago decided to plant some bamboo and it had taken over the whole garden.

"There were 12 of them and you have never seen such a nice bunch of teenagers – they were so polite!

"They grafted all day for both days and got the site cleared. They were a real credit to the NCS and Bolton Lads and Girls Club."

One the second day the youngsters also bought in bags of toys which they bought from local shops to distribute to the young children on the hospital's E5 ward.

The garden project has received around £1,500 of funding from Tesco in Little Lever .

The NCS journey started with challenging outdoor activities such as canoeing, hiking and rock climbing at Borwick Hall in the Lake District where youngsters spent five nights developing team skills and bonding.

Week two was all about ‘discovery’ as the teams spent a week at Bolton University developing life skills including confidence, leadership and communication. The week also included a visit to the Bolton Magistrates and Faith Trail, where youngsters visited religious institutions including a mosque, a Hindu temple and a church located in Bolton.

The next few weeks were about social action with groups researching non-profit organisations to help the community of Bolton.

An NCS graduation will be held at the Holiday Inn in Bolton and teenagers can sign up for the next programme set to start in October by contacting ncs@blgc.co.uk.