TV fashion stylist Gok Wan has thrown his support behind a scheme to pay charity volunteers for their time.

Two local volunteers are among the 500 people who successfully applied for funding from a mobile phone giant’s grant scheme to allow them to be paid ‘salaries’ for their charity work.

Susana Pouso and Christopher Ng are now set to spend two months working with the social enterprise MyBnk, which was founded in Tower Hamlets and helps young people in schools across the borough learn money-management skills.

Susana said: “I’m thrilled to be working for such a young and exciting concept as MyBnk. It allows me to volunteer in a completely new and exciting capacity”.

More than 2,500 people had applied for the Vodafone World of Difference UK programme.

Campaign ambassador Gok Wan said the scheme was “fantastic” at helping bring manpower to struggling charities and added: “I love seeing the difference just a few months can make, and the fact that so many winners continue a relationship with their charity after their placement ends is inspiring.”