A team of young people taking part in Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s Prince’s Trust scheme have raised money and got their hands dirty as part of their community project.
The two teams, one from Hyde and one from Oldham, raised £191 through a sponsored triathlon, which included the bleep test, hose running, and a dexterity test.
They then used this budget on a community project at St Barnabas Church, on Arundel Street, which needed a revamp of its outdoor area.
The church runs free community sessions on mental health, cooking support, and also hosts a food bank.
The team said that cleaning out the outdoor area and transforming it into a garden mean they could help to create a safe and clean area for the community and church congregation, and allow the church to grow vegetables and flowers.
In a statement released by the team, the young group said: “When we first arrived at the church garden there was a lot that needing doing, such as painting of the outside wall, clearing the garden, clearing the floor and scraping up the moss, flowers needed planting and making the flower beds.
“We hope to achieve a safer environment for the community and a more visually pleasing area for the residents.
“We began the project by bringing as many tools as possible such as shovels, brushes, paintbrushes, and plant pots which meant we didn’t have to waste our budget on these items.
“On the first day, we all grouped as a team to help clear the gardens of moss and weeds. This took us a few hours but by the end of the day, we cleared the garden.
“On day two, we planned how we were going to spend our budget and where the cheapest places were to get them.
“Some individuals went shopping to buy the items we needed, others stayed back to clear the rubbish into the skip and cleared the remaining moss and dirt on the floor.
“Once we finished shopping, we had spent a total of £117 which left us with £74 spare.”
Afterwards, they painted the wall white and began to paint the mural.
The project was officially handed over to the church on Thursday, October 20.
Those interested in signing up to the Prince’s Trust scheme in 2023 should text their name, age and postcode to 07580 698 595.
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