Four young people from Brentwood have raised more than £100 for a charity that helps children with life-threatening conditions.

Justine Symonds, 17, Abbi Allen, 19, Rebecca White, 19, and Julian Harris, 25 donned fairy wings and packed shoppers’ bags at Asda in Basildon to raise funds for the Make a Wish Foundation and forge new links with their local community.

They are residents of supported scheme Brentwood Foyer which is run by Centra Care and Support to help young people in Brentwood facing homelessness by providing support, accommodation and training.

Allyson Kay, Managing Director of Centra Care and Support, said: “Justine, Abbi, Rebecca and Julian made the decision to build new relationships between Brentwood Foyer and their local community and raise money for a very worthy cause.

"Brentwood Foyer is their home and they wanted to help strengthen its reputation in the area.

“We’re all proud that they took this initiative. As well as raising more than £100, it has increased their confidence and all-round communication skills that will help them in the future.”

The fundraising initiative will also contribute to a BTEC in Work Skills with training provider Catch-22, which is working with Centra Care and Support to help the young people gain new skills and qualifications.

It runs tailored training programes in Essex designed to complement vocational and academic needs and support people into apprenticeships, employment or further education.

Charmainé Chalkley-Grier, Tutor at Catch-22, said: ‘They worked really well together, improving not just their team work skills but also their social skills and confidence when dealing with the customers.

"This gave them experience they can use when applying for work in any career.”

For more information on the Brentwood Foyer, visit www.centragroup.org.uk/Brett. Visit www.catch-22.org.uk for more information on Catch-22.