From education to employment

Students thanked for help

Students from Barking & Dagenham College (@BarkingCollege) were guests of honour at a special event to thank them for their help at Park Lane Rec, Havering. 

The students are all studying carpentry and trowel trades at the college. In January this year, they were approached by Lisa Gunther, chair of Park Lane Park, to help create a new path and garden within the Park Lane Rec. It was an opportunity for the students to get some fantastic work experience. They spent a day a week at the site, working as they would on any commercial building site. The students were able to put their skills into action, planning their work, project managing it as well as building the pathway and new community garden. 

Lisa Gunther said:

“The students have done a fantastic job. We are so pleased with the result. We wanted a new path to make the park even more accessible to all but also because we really wanted people to think about their future paths. There are so many paths that you can take in life. This was our chance to be able to offer students the chance to get some real work experience and think about the paths they want to take as they start out in their working life.”   

In addition to the path, the new garden has provided a great community hub. With the help of supplies of wood cuttings, logs and wood chip from HD Tree Care, the eco friendly, low maintenance garden, will help to increase wildlife and enhance the natural environment. Since the garden was completed by the students, local residents have been helping to maintain it and have even formed the park’s very first gardening club.  

The students were joined on the day by the Mayor of Havering, Councillor John Mylod, as well as local Councillors Christine Smith, Ciaran White, Judith Holt and Viddy Persaud. The event was also attended by Lauren Gee and Jane Keane. 

The new areas are part of the park’s longer term regeneration project. It is hoped that more areas like the ones the students have helped create will be added over the coming months. To do this the Friends of Park Lane Park are looking for funding, donations, materials, plants and general support to continue their work. 

For more information about the park please visit @parklaneparkhornchurch on facebook.  


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