It mightn’t be every teenager’s idea of holiday fun, but three community spirited students from Watford Grammar School have spent much of their summer break teaching life-changing IT skills to the elderly.

Fifteen-year-olds Seb Walker, Anojan Ratnarajah and Conor Foster held a series of term-time IT workshops at the Holywell Community Centre earlier in the year as part of their Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.

The lads, however, had no intention of putting their feet up after completing their original 12 weeks of lessons. In fact, they enjoyed the experience so much that they decided to extend the popular weekly sessions for another six weeks – right through the summer holidays.

Seb explained: “We had to do some voluntary work to count towards our award but we didn’t want to do the normal thing of working in charity shops. Most teenagers are good with computers and we are no different. We thought it would be nice to pass those skills on.

“I think the older people have learned a lot and really enjoyed what we have been teaching them. It has been really nice for us to give something back to the community.”

The trio, all of whom will begin their GCSE year in September, taught a range of basic and more advanced skills, introducing their students to the joys of the internet, email, on demand television and video communications.

Their latest round of recruits, who now have better access to public services ad even their families, gathered at the centre yesterday afternoon to receive certificates of achievement and the congratulations of their friends, family and tutors.

The boys, who have even set up a professional website to advertise the course, plan to continue their programme of lessons throughout the year and pass their skills onto many older people.

Anojan added: “It was really satisfying to hear people say that what we taught them has been useful to them. We’ve all really enjoyed doing it.”

For more information see www.itcourse.tk