Students at Coleg Gwent’s Crosskeys Campus are celebrating after their involvement in a community project was recognised by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s ‘In Bloom’ competition.
The Independent Living Skills (ILS) students, along with other community groups, schools and volunteers, work with Caerphilly County Borough Council to improve Waunfawr Park. Their weeding and seeding, planting and litter picking has certainly paid off as the collaboration has been awarded third prize in the community category of this year’s Caerphilly in Bloom.
The team were acknowledged for their achievement by the Mayor or Caerphilly Councillor Vera Jenkins when she attended a celebratory event at Waunfawr Park.
Lecturers Andrea Hale and Mary Bradfield were thrilled that the project has gained such recognition: “The students moved to Crosskeys Campus from Crumlin in September 2010. A year on they’ve not only settled into their brand new campus, they’ve made a fabulous impact on the local community. Everyone involved in the project has made us feel welcome and values the students’ commitment and dedication to their local area.”
Lecturer Mary explains how the project has helped the students, as well as the community: “The project provides all round development with the students’ horticulture skills, as well as team working and social skills, and a lot of them enjoy it that much they have got involved in other community projects outside of College.
“Many of the students can feel excluded from society as they have hearing impairments for example so it’s great to see so many people integrated into one project.”
The event was a double whammy as the project raised its Green Flag for the first time – a national standard for open green spaces awarded by Keep Britain Tidy – which the students helped them achieve.
Attending the event on behalf of Green Flag was John Ridgewell: “This is an exemplar project as it involves so many dimensions of the community. Coleg Gwent’s involvement is pivotal to its success, along with the local schools, community groups and volunteers who take time to improve their community.”
Eighteen-year-old Jamie Moon is from Crosskeys and loves being involved in the community where he lives: “It’s really nice being outside, especially when the sun is shining. I really enjoy working in the greenhouses, doing the weeding and harvesting the seeds we plant.”
A spokesman for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “This particular project is an excellent example of partnership working and is benefitting all concerned as well as helping to enhance Waunfawr Park. We would like to congratulate all the award winners from this year’s competition and thank them for helping to make the Caerphilly county borough a cleaner, greener place for residents and visitors alike.”
The students use some of the skills they use in the park for the fresh food co-operative they help run at the Campus. Since its launch in March, staff at Crosskeys and Pontypool Campuses have been enjoying fresh, locally-sourced fruit and vegetables bagged and prepared by ILS students.
