Students’ Garden Makeover for Day Centre

Students from City College Norwich have been getting their hands dirty to provide a local day centre with a garden makeover.  Staff and people who use Norwich Day Services, which supports adults with learning difficulties, will this week hold an event to mark the completion of the project and thank the college students for their efforts.   

Different groups of students from across the college have contributed to the project.  Over the past 2 months these students have drawn up plans for the day centre garden, in conjunction with the people who use Norwich Day Services, and then put in the hard work of constructing, preparing and planting the new beds to bring the garden to life. 

Students on the Young Apprenticeship in Construction, one of City College Norwich’s 14-16 programmes, first created three raised beds and a paved area, putting in time during their half-term holiday to complete the work.  Two groups on the Diploma in Society, Health & Development then planted the new garden area with a variety of spring flowering plants and shrubs, salad plants and other summer flowering plants grown by Progressions Horticulture students from the School of Foundation Studies. 

In addition to the contribution of the college and its students, the transformation of the garden would not have been possible without the support of three local businesses.  Notcutts Garden Centre donated 25 timber sleepers for the raised beds, B&Q donated a shed and Ridgeons Timber and Building Merchants provided materials at a discount to support the project. 

City College Norwich has a well-established partnership with Norwich Day Services, who regularly provide work placements to its Health and Social Care students, some of whom have gone on to work for the organisation.  Now that the new-look garden has been created the people who use Norwich Day Services will take over the job of looking after the garden.      

Chris Bishop, Manager, Norwich Day Services, said: “The people who use our service gain a lot from the interactions they have with the work placement students from City College Norwich.  We have seen an increase in their confidence and social skills as a result of working alongside the students as equal partners on this project. 

“The garden has been re-designed to ensure that it accessible to those with mobility difficulties.  The people who use our service will see the benefits of this garden makeover for a long time to come.  I look forward to further joint work with students from City College Norwich in the future.”  

Society, Health and Development Diploma student Sam Meeks, 25, from Norwich, said: “It was hard work clearing the garden during the hot weather, but it was really enjoyable and we got a real sense of achievement out of it.  It is great knowing that a lot of people are going to get a lot of enjoyment out of the work we have put in.”

Fellow Diploma student, Kelsey Waller, 17, from Norwich, said: “I was involved in some of the planning of the garden and I also assisted in picking out the plants and planting them. I have really enjoyed being involved in this project and because it is for a good cause it makes it even more special.”