A Twickenham mum has launched a new after-school club aimed at helping children build confidence, communication and leadership skills.

Rise to Lead has been set up by local parent Orgesa Meli, who said the idea came from wanting her own daughter to develop skills she wished she had learned at a younger age.

"I wanted my daughter to learn confidence, public speaking, leadership and communication skills," she said. "I looked locally but couldn't find anything that offered all of that in a warm, fun and structured way for children — so I decided to create it myself."

The club is designed for children aged 8 to 11 and focuses on helping young people express themselves, speak confidently, work as a team and develop leadership skills in a supportive environment.

While the first term is running exclusively for pupils at St Mary's, where Orgesa's daughters attend, there are plans to open the club to families across Twickenham from next term.

Rise to Lead is designed for children aged 8 to 11 (credit: Image supplied).

Orgesa brings a background of 17 years in finance, alongside more recent work in learning, confidence-building and personal development.

She says Rise to Lead is a "heart project", created first and foremost from a parent's perspective.

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Sessions take place at Patch Twickenham, 42 York Street, TW1 3LJ. Families are currently being offered two free trial sessions, allowing children to settle in and experience the club before parents commit.

More information can be found at www.risetolead.uk

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