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Commonwealth Games 2002

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Tuesday, 11 December, 2001, 10:18 GMT
Youngsters spend time with guards
Guard and a boy from Peckham
The boys will care for cavalry horses and look after uniforms
A group of children from London are to spend time with the Army's Household Division as part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Six youngsters from the Boyhood to Manhood Foundation based in Peckham, south London, will live among some of the Army's most prestigious guardsmen for a week.

They will care for cavalry horses, look after the uniforms and live under the disciplined routine of Army life.

It is hoped the project will improve their social skills and self-respect.


We wanted to target that part of the community as they are the ones that would not necessarily come to these buildings normally

Captain Justin Butah
The project is part of the London String of Pearls Golden Jubilee Festival next year.

Justin Austin, a youth worker from the Boyhood to Manhood Foundation, which works with children who have been expelled from school or are failing academically, said six boys would be chosen next year.

He said: "It will take these boys out of their normal community of seeing the ganglands and give them something really challenging, especially as most of them are scared of horses.

Video diaries

"In the end it will be more of an adventure for them."

Each youngster will be assigned a trooper and will be shown the plans for the key ceremonial occasions to mark the golden jubilee.

They will also make video diaries of their stay and deliver a presentation to hundreds of people.

Captain Justin Butah, from the Life Guards, said: "We wanted to target that part of the community as they are the ones that would not necessarily come to these buildings normally."


Click here to go to London
See also:

04 Dec 01 | Northern Ireland
Emergency services get Queen's award
04 Dec 01 | UK
Queen's honour for crisis workers
26 Nov 01 | UK
Royal relay run for jubilee games
31 Oct 01 | England
Queen's jubilee 'pearls'
Links to more England stories are at the foot of the page.


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