A home services company has scooped three awards for refurbishing a youth centre with the help of unemployed youngsters.

Pimlico Plumbers were awarded for project Volunteer it Yourself (VIY), which refurbished Streatham Youth Centre, in Conyers Road, Streatham.

The accolades were handed out during the Corporate Engagement Awards, with the company winning the overall grand prix award for best project.

They also won an award for the best community involvement and best collaborative approach.

VIY helped to create training opportunities for disadvantaged 16-25 year olds, with 30 young people took on to rebuild the building's roof.

A team of young people also helped with plumbing work, decorating and repairing the building's central heating.

Engineers and trades people were provided to mentor the trainees, who were all members of the youth centre.

Charlie Mullins, managing director of Pimlico Plumbers, said: "These awards are further confirmation of why VIY was the right thing to do. 

"To everyone involved, especially the kids who my guys really enjoyed working with, well done.

"I honestly believe they were involved in the creation of something very special, which in years to come will become the norm in corporate behaviour, leaving us wondering why we didn't always do this sort of thing, or perhaps more accurately - why we stopped helping each other?

"Big Society isn't so much a prescription of how to do things, it's more a description of how people can naturally join together to help each other."