SOUTH Bromsgrove High School’s Daniel Ellis admitted all the hard work was worth it after his extracurricular efforts were rewarded by double London 2012 medallist Max Whitlock.

Daniel was one of the star attractions at Birmingham’s Paragon Hotel recently as100 young legacy leaders took centre stage to celebrate their fantastic work on the Get Set to Make a Change programme since October last year.

The programme, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, saw youngsters keep the spirit of London 2012 alive with 15-year-old Daniel and South Bromsgrove High School certainly doing that – fulfilling a number of pledges including encouraging younger people to play sports.

Their hard work didn’t go unnoticed with gymnast Max, who won pommel horse and team bronze at London 2012, as well as double Paralympic table tennis medallist Will Bayley, handing South Bromsgrove High School an award to commemorate the youngsters’ efforts at a red carpet event.

Daniel said: "It’s been good to meet Max and Will, with them both being successful athletes in gymnastics and table tennis, it’s been enjoyable for us to meet them and find out what motivates them.

“Our school did quite a lot of pledges, one of which included trying to get younger people playing sports.

“We did another pledge about Paralympic lunch times. There are a few students with disabilities or impairments and they were able to come along to these lunch times we put on as legacy leaders and staff and give them a chance to do sports that maybe they wouldn’t be able to do elsewhere.

"The Get Set to Make a Change program has been so good for me and the other legacy leaders from my school and we’re hoping to build on what we’ve done for the future."

And Max insisted he was more than happy to take time out to celebrate Ellis and his school's hard work, revealing that the youngsters’ efforts are an inspiration.

“It’s great to see so many legacy leaders here, keeping the spirit alive from London 2012,” he said. “The motto from the Olympic Games was inspire a generation and these guys are doing a great job of that.

“As athletes, we try and motivate and inspire youngsters and they are doing that too.

“It’s been great to find out what they have been up to and they are all so enthusiastic which is great to see.

“London 2012 for me was an amazing experience, it definitely was a once in a lifetime experience and I never want to forget that."

Through GSTMC, the British Olympic Foundation, in conjunction with the British Paralympic Association, is using the spirit of the London Games to re-inspire young people across the UK. The project is being supported by a £2.5million grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Keeping the Spirit of 2012 Alive campaign. See makeachange.org.uk for more details.