A student who won an award for mentoring others in school during the pandemic has launched a campaign to raise nearly £20,000 for a 'Quiet Room'.

Sam Spaxman, in Year 13 at Saffron Walden County High School, used his £250 award from the Jack Petchey Foundation to buy equipment for the pastoral hub to support students.

Sam volunteered on a weekly basis in the B16 Pastoral Hub, a new and ongoing project which he said has become a "real sanctuary" to many, to work with and mentor students.

He has been praised by a number of staff members involved in running the Hub.

But he said he felt that students need a room which is private and confidential within the Hub, where students can share concerns without being overheard.

In his appeal, he said: "B16 is a new and ongoing project, put in place to help cope with the ever-changing demands created by the pandemic, as such it needs continuous improvement and materials. At the moment there is one key element that is missing and that is a 'quiet room'."

His GoFundMe page has a £19,750 goal and has already raised nearly £4,000.

It is at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sam-build-a-quiet-room-at-swchs

Fellow students Anna Williams and Ursula Gerhard also were recognised through the Jack Petchey Foundation Achievement Awards.

They received medallions and framed certificates and a £250 grant to benefit their school or youth group.

Anna Williams, 18, was nominated on behalf of the Head Student Team for her work in creating a video promoting students wear their masks in school corridors and classrooms.

The video was shown to all students and was also sent to other schools in the area.

Anna has spent her £250 award grant on a camera stabiliser for the film and media department to assist with film production.

Ursula Gerhard, 18, received her award for setting up a buddy system with elderly people in the community who were lonely during the Covid-19 lockdown.

She ensured that contact between these residents and students was maintained and that care packages, such as a Christmas food box, were organised to brighten their days.

Ursula spent her £250 award grant on setting up a reading nook in the sixth form Study Café.

Uttlesford has so far received over £507,000 from the Jack Petchey Foundation.