TWO Minehead Middle School pupils have impressed the judges for this year’s Haines Award for Service.

Alexander Winzer earned the top prize for his Kits by Kids campaign while Christie Hawker was highly commended for raising more than £1,000 for her donation of her very long hair for local charity Elliot's Touch.

The Award is made annually by the local churches to Middle School pupils in recognition of service to others. It is named in memory of Ruth and Frank Haines, local residents and church members, who gave much service to local and international charities.

Gazette readers may recognise Alexander as the boy who developed a scheme to help bring much needed to supplies to children in refugee camps.

Alex created Kits by Kids, small parcels which included blankets, colouring books and crayons and all sorts of items to help make life a little better.

The judges commented: "Our decision to give Alexander the award came to down to his initiative born from compassion for those he witnessed in deep distress as he passed through Calais to go on holiday.

"Horrified by what he saw, he decided to do something positive and received help from his family and school friends.

Alexander raised more than £1,000 through the www.kitsbykids.com website which he has used to send football boots and purchase musical instruments for Heart ELT School in Iraq, a school set up for refugee children.

Highly commended Christie Hawker also raised more than £1,000 for charity after donating her long hair.

The money went to Watchet-based charity Elliot's Touch, which raises awareness and funds for cardiomyopathy and mitochondrial disease.

The Awards were presented during the Middle School prize-giving evening.

Andrew Butcher, son of Ruth Haines, and his son, Howard, travelled specially from East Anglia to hand out the awards and meet the recipients personally.