Pupils from seven London schools graduated yesterday from Mosaic’s Primary School Programme at a very special ceremony held at The South Bank Centre in conjunction with the Alchemy Festival.

In the presence of their mentors, teachers and families, pupils from Arnhem Wharf, Alban Wood Laurence Haines, Christchurch CofE, Selwyn Primary, Shapla Primary and William Davis shared their experiences of participating in the programme.

Mosaic would like to thank Human Appeal, the Aziz Foundation, TRS Foundation, John Laing Foundation and the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery for their generous support of the primary school mentoring programme.

The keynote speaker at the event was Baroness Williams of Trafford who said: “We have some of the most hard-working and talented young people in the world and Mosaic’s mentoring programme is evidently inspiring the eloquent speakers I have seen here today. I am a firm believer that everyone can benefit from positive role models in their life and I am delighted to hear that these pupils have exciting plans for their futures.”

Mosaic’s Primary School programme seeks to equip young people with the skills and confidence they need to connect education to a work at an early age. Often the programmes focus on girls and their mothers, raising aspirations and broadening expectations of what’s possible in adult life. Volunteer mentors from professional backgrounds act as role models to the pupils and encourage them to aspire to careers in a range of different sectors.

The Alchemy Festival is a vibrant collection of performances, exhibitions and workshops held at the Southbank Centre that celebrate the relationship between the UK and the Asian subcontinent.

Robyn Brown, Mosaic’s Regional Manager for the London region, said: “This has been a very special day. The girls looked fantastic in their robes and all of them seemed very excited to be on the South Bank as part of the Alchemy festival. As it’s hugely rewarding when the young people are so enthusiastic about what the future holds. Thanks must go to all of our mentors who are doing an amazing job not just in London schools but around the UK.”