THANET is to get its own online TV channel, when an isle version of Youtube is launched this month.

Champions TV is the brainchild of isle entrepreneurs Rachel Saint, John Vinson and Dean Martin, who secured £100,000 of government funding to launch the internet channel where unemployed youngsters can post videos online.

Mrs Saint, who runs Busy Mummy which helps young mums, said: “We saw that people are really down on Thanet and wanted to do something to change that. We put our heads together and came up with the idea, which we’re linking to Facebook.

“We have experts who will help the unemployed make videos about Thanet Champions, who can be people, organisations, businesses or places that are making a difference to people’s lives.

“In doing so they will learn important skills like communication, teamwork and project management which will help them back to work.”

The group have already taken on two apprentices, Westgate’s Wayne Kinaln, 17, and Cliftonville’s Thomas Adams, 19, are now putting together their first film crew with the help of the Jobcentre and back-to-work charity The Shaw Trust.

They hope the first video posting will be up on their website by the end of January.

If you want to get involved or have an idea for a film about a Thanet Champion, phone 01843 598600 or visit www.championstv.co.uk.