THE Daily Echo is challenging schoolchildren in Ferndown and West Moors to “Make A Difference”.

The newspaper is joining charities and businesses across the district in setting challenges for teams of Year Eight pupils at Ferndown Middle School and West Moors Middle School.

Mentors from the sixth form at Ferndown Upper School will help the youngsters come up with solutions to problems ranging from anti-social behaviour to the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Editor Neal Butterworth said the Daily Echo would be challenging pupils to come up with a solution to the problem of “parking mad” parents by reducing the number of car journeys to school.

“The Daily Echo’s long-running ‘parking mad’ campaign has helped to highlight the issue of dangerous parking outside schools.

“I’m challenging the pupils of Ferndown Middle School and West Moors Middle School to make a difference by finding ways of getting to school that don’t involve a journey by car,” he said.

Groups of youngsters will work on their solutions to the challenges in a three-day brainstorming session in June, before pitching their ideas to a Dragons’ Den-style panel of judges in front of school friends, parents and invited guests on July 7.

Organisers at Ferndown Upper School are hoping their Make A Difference day will produce a win-win situation for students and the wider community.

“It shows the essential role of education by allowing pupils to see how their learning links directly with the outside world.

“For the middle school pupils involved, it will also be an opportunity to get to know their new school before starting in September,” said English teacher Niki Senington.

Companies and organisations interested in getting involved should email senington.niki@fernup.dorset.sch.uk.