Countrystyle was thrilled to take part in the NCS Summer Programme with National Citizen Service (NCS) partnered with Charlton Athletic Community Trust at MidKent College in Maidstone.

NCS is a social development programme aimed at 15–17-year-olds, teenagers that are almost into adulthood. It brings together students of different backgrounds, the programme helps to boost their confidence and prepare them for the world of work or further education.

Over the holidays, the students were tasked with a Summer Project to find ways to make a real difference in their local community, which could help support a more cohesive society. These ideas were presented to a panel of judges in a Dragons’ Den style event.

Our Sales and Marketing Director, Martin Swift was an honorary Dragon for the day as he joined a panel of judges with a wealth of knowledge and experience of business. The panel’s role for the day was to listen to each pitch from the three teams. The social action themes included raising awareness and supporting the homeless and creating green spaces within the community for people to enjoy.

Upon hearing the social action pitches, the Dragons provided advice and feedback to help students improve their Summer Projects and to assist them with helping to implement positive changes with their chosen social causes within the local community.

Martin had a fantastic afternoon as a Dragon and enjoyed taking part in the NCS Summer Experience. Thank you to NCS and Charlton Athletic Community Trust for inviting Countrystyle to be a part of this outstanding programme and we hope to send some more Dragons’ along to future events.

Countrystyle is passionate about actively engaging with the local community. One of our core values as a business is investing in education with key messages around the benefits of recycling and sustainability. Read more about our Schools Initiative here