After working tirelessly for two weeks in the winter wind and rain, Prince’s Trust Team 10 completed their Community Project.

As part of their course, participants must collectively chose a project within the community that needs a little help from the Prince’s Trust Team. Together they chose to offer a helping hand to Sandy Hill Academy, who wanted a vegetable garden built on their school field to teach their students about growing fresh produce. Team 10 worked alongside the school to design a vegetable garden and even got the chance to visit the Eden Project, to get some expert advice on cultivating gardens and protecting them against the elements.

Firstly, the Team recycled wood that used to make up the old adventure playground and used this to create the base and walls of the garden. Then after many wheelbarrow trips, they surfaced the garden grounds with wood chippings and began to build separate patches to grow a mix of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers. The outer fence was painted black and yellow (the Academy colours) and the Team even constructed a scarecrow to deter birds.

The children at Sandy Hill Academy also got involved in the project by painting a mural to be displayed in the garden and naming the garden scarecrow; who now goes by the name of Harry O’Hay. After presenting the finished garden to teachers, the school council, local firefighters, and representative from Prince’s Trust and Adult Education, the Team were formally thanked in a whole school assembly. 

On behalf of the team and Sandy Hill Academy, we would like to thank those who donated and allowed this project to be a success. So a big thank you to CORMAC, Taylor Wimpey, Jewsons and Wyevale Garden Centre for your kind donations and support throughout the project.

We look forward to coming back for a visit next year to how what else the students have grown!