TEENAGERS sampled a taste of the Caribbean at a culture awareness event.

Members of St Helen Youth Inclusion Programme enjoyed last week's event so much that it could become the focus of a regular club. About 22 of the project's 50 youngsters, from St Helen Auckland, West Auckland and Woodhouse Close estate, in Bishop Auckland, studied the geography and culture of people with Afro-Caribbean backgrounds at Ochis Mediterranean and Caribbean Restaurant, in Darlington. They also sampled traditional food from foreign shores and started to learn the Caribbean steel drums.

Programme manager Remi Omole said the youths enjoyed themselves and feels they opened their minds to new cultures. He said: "This event aimed to make the youngsters more accepting of other cultures and that is very important in today's society, it certainly seems to have made a difference after one day.

"The feedback was wonderful so I would hope we can make it a regular activity and study more cultures.

"These youngsters could be the leaders of tomorrow, so it is very important that they are accepting and appreciative of the various cultures they come across in all corners of life."