Volunteers improve gardens at housing scheme during Green project

The volunteers have enrolled on the Green Team, a project run by community charity Groundwork Luton and Bedfordshire and funded by Central Bedfordshire Council.

Over the course of 14 weeks, the team of six will spruce up various sites in Leighton Buzzard.

As well as spring cleaning previous Green Team improvement projects, they will also take on new work at some of the council’s sheltered housing schemes, including building raised beds and a pergola at Albert Court.

The team will also create a natural woodland area with seating, planting and fencing at Leighton Buzzard Children Centre – just in time for kids there to enjoy the summer weather.

Along with the practical experience, they will get qualifications to help boost their job prospects with City & Guilds Level 1 Diploma in Practical Horticulture, City & Guilds Level 1 Award Employability Skills and Functional Skills in Maths and English.

This is the 11th Green Team project run by Groundwork in partnership with the council.

Chris Houghton, Groundwork’s employment project supervisor, said: “It’s great to be back in Leighton Buzzard with the Green Team. Revisiting sites that previous teams worked on is an inspiration for the young people. It shows them that the work they do now will be used and enjoyed by local people for years.”

Councillor Carole Hegley, executive member for social care and housing, said: “It sounds like the young people involved in the latest Green Team are going to be involved in some really exciting projects, and I hope that they get as much out of it as previous participants have done.

“Schemes like this really do help to transform young people’s lives by offering them vital skills and work experience, as well as a direction in life when they may have previously been wondering what to do with themselves.

“The work which they do really does make a difference to the community – as can be seen by the physical results of the volunteers’ hard work.”