Two green fingered French students have been getting a taste of life working in Cardiff’s acres of parkland.
Bastien Crochet and Tristan Dorval, who hail from Cardiff’s twin city of Nantes are the fifth set of students that the city has hosted as part of a thriving exchange programme. The Landscape and Horticulture students have spent their two week work placement working alongside graduates of the council’s apprenticeship scheme, community rangers and partner organisations such as the Innovate Trust.
Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Bob Derbyshire, said: “We have a fantastic apprenticeship scheme here in Cardiff which helps provide the city with the skilled workforce we need to manage the magnificent green spaces we all know and love. Many of our apprentices have benefitted from placements with our friends in France so it’s with great pleasure we welcome Bastien and Tristan to Cardiff.”
The summer season is a busy time in the city’s parks so the students have had their hands full helping to prepare Bute Park for Green Flag judging, getting hands on involvement at the city’s Plant Production Nursery, maintaining cricket wickets and planting floral displays at the Cardiff Castle as well as paying visits to the Cardiff Bay barrage, the wetlands and Flat Holm.
It’s not all been hard work for the exchange students though, they also managed to squeeze in a tour around Cardiff Castle and a visit to the Millennium stadium and will go back home with fond memories of what they call “A great city.”
