BURY high schools are being urged to take part in a competition aimed at encouraging young people to do more for charity.

"Giving Nation" is offering 12 awards of £1,000 and an overall prize of an all-expenses-paid overseas trip to see a British Red Cross project in action.

Giving Nation's campaign manager Andy Thornton said: "It's a simple idea where schools take stock of the year's achievements, show appreciation of their pupils' actions and blow their own trumpet a bit. Simply by telling Giving Nation of their activities there's a great deal to be gained!"

The awards have been set up to inspire schools to take part in Giving Week or "G-Week", a new national celebration of young people's giving from June 23 to 27 when scores of schools will reflect on the value and impact of their past year's fundraising or will take part in charitable activities.

Giving Nation has also devised a free resource pack and CD Rom to help teachers bring citizenship alive in their classrooms and to help them to meet citizenship targets through charitable debate and activity, both within and beyond the classroom.

Closing date for School Award entries is July 18.

For details visit www.g-nation.co.uk/teachers or phone Carolyn Holcroft on 020 7930 3154.