Local Students Restore Vandalised Garden to Former Glory

Prince’s Trust students at City College Plymouth have been helping pupils at Montpelier Primary School repair their vandalised vegetable garden, and create a beautiful outside space.

The pupils and staff were devastated to find that vandals had not only destroyed their garden they had spent months creating, but also burnt down the garden shed.

The students not only helped restore the garden to its former glory but constructed a donated shed, built a number of paths running around the vegetables patches, made a wigwam out of a Willow tree, built a pond and made garden furniture out of a tree trunk.

Lisa Charles, Prince’s Trust Team Leader at the College said: “The Team did a great job - they went in to help clear-up and make the area safe but accomplished so much more.

“I’m really proud of the hard work and commitment they showed this project. They chose to stay late working on a number of occasions to finish off various jobs, even though the ground was so hard due to freezing temperatures. We were even lucky enough to have a student’s family member with a chain saw licence, so we were able to make some beautiful garden furniture out of an abandoned tree trunk.”

The team not only undertook the project but raised the funds needed to complete it.  Gary Sawyer and David Tall from Plymouth Argyle Football Club visited the project and donated a signed shirt that was framed by Elite Framers free of charge. The team is hoping to raise enough funds to supply the school with benches by holding an auction for the much desired Argyle shirt!

The Prince’s Trust Team Programme is aimed at young people aged 16 to 25, who are unemployed, unexcited and unsure of the future. The 12-week course encourages the development of practical skills, self-belief and help with getting a job.