YOUNGSTERS from Tickle Avenue Youth Club proved they could handle the heat after preparing lunch for their community as part of a national event.

Alisha Aldred, Sandra Gudziecka and Chloe McEvoy, all 13, along with 17-year-olds Ethan Anders and Danielle Hayes, and 16-year–old Gemma Aldred, organised their own ‘Eden Project Big Lunch’ event by writing to shops and organisations for food donations before taking to the kitchen to prepare a feast for 25 people.

Since starting in 2009, thousands of Big Lunch projects have taken place across the country with the aim of bringing people together and promoting community spirit.

As well as preparing the food, the group decorated the club, based in the Salvation Army building in Tickle Avenue, and entertained guests with face painting, bingo and a disco, courtesy of Carl Smith and Adam McGrath, who were awarded volunteers of the year by St Helens Council’s Youth Service in 2016.

St Helens Council's cabinet member for children, families, young people and education, Cllr Jeanette Banks, said: “The group deserve huge credit for taking the time out to organise and host this event which I’m delighted to hear was an astounding success.

“Those who attended commented on the young people’s good manners and the hard work that they had put in to make the event the success that it was, so they should be very proud of themselves.”