A DRIVE to recruit new mentors for young people in West Somerset will be launched with an event in Watchet on Monday (February 16) .

The charity PROMISEworks and MP Rachel Gilmour will co-host a meeting from 11 am to 12 noon in the East Quay to try to increase the number of mentors across the district.

PROMISEworks is a Somerset-based mentoring charity pairing disadvantaged and vulnerable young people between the ages of five to 25 years with mentors.

Since the mentoring programme launched in 2017, hundreds of young people have received help with difficulties at home, education, and training.

The charity needs more mentors in West Somerset as it currently facilitates more than 150 mentor-mentee partnerships across the entire county, with only eight locally.

Mrs Gilmour is inviting all constituents with an interest in becoming a mentor to go along to the East Quay’s Studio 2 to learn more about the mentor scheme and to ask any questions of representatives from the charity and current mentors.

She said: “PROMISEworks is a vital charity in Somerset, offering young people a guide through some of the most important milestones in their lives.

“In areas of West Somerset, where social mobility ranks so poorly, a mentor scheme like this really is invaluable.

“However, the charity is in desperate need of more mentors.

“If you would like to make a positive impact on the life of a young person in our area, please come along on Monday and learn more about their important programme.”