STUDENTS from St Augustine’s RC High School in Billington were awarded the top prize of Gold Award as well as a cheque for £1,000 in the Chairman’s Challenge, a competition run by Lancashire County Council.

The aim of the competition was to enable schools to develop innovative ways to encourage their friends and families to make positive lifestyle choices as set out in the council’s wellbeing agenda.

The challenge invited Lancashire School Councils to formulate a plan and execute it across an academic year before submitting a final report to County Hall.

The finalists were then invited to present to council members in the Council Chamber in Preston.

The school's team was made up of James Hughes-Gooding, Isobel Ellis, Martha Barrett, William Golding, Charlotte Campbell and Philip Clews.

This year’s theme was safety and wellbeing and the school council promoted the issue of child sexual exploitation, creating resources that were initially created for use by pupils at the Elker Lane school and that are now being used across Lancashire.

Headteacher Michael Wright said “This was the first time we have entered the Chairman’s Challenge and we faced strong competition from schools across Lancashire who had been involved in some excellent local projects."