Teamwork gives Teesside children a garden

July 15th 2015

TEAMWORK GIVES TEESSIDE CHILDREN A GARDEN

Children in Coulby Newham on Teesside are looking forward to spending time in a new garden area created for them by unemployed young people with the help of �800 from UK Steel Enterprise.

The nine young people from Middlesbrough, on a Princes Trust Team Programme designed to help them into employment, chose the Manor Youth & Community Centre in Coulby Newham for the community project that forms a part of their 12-week programme.

Aged between 16 and 24, they have worked with staff at the Centre and the nearby Parkway Day Nursery to develop a garden that can be used by children aged from two to nine to grow flowers and vegetables. They have also provided a sandpit and a bright mural for the wall.

Steve Falconer, Facilities Manager at the Manor Youth & Community Centre said Thanks to the Princes Trust team, the UK Steel Enterprise funding and others the Centre now has this great garden. We would have found it very difficult to fund a project like this without help and our future plans include providing an Astroturf pitch for football. The Team has done an excellent job.

The Centre runs youth club sessions with sports and arts activities and provides guidance and advice to young people on a whole range of issues.

Craig Murphy, Princes Trust Team Leader, said This is the first Team programme we have run from Coulby Newham and we are very grateful for UK Steel Enterprises continued support as it is invaluable. The group also won some support from B & Q and Barclays and help with a free skip.

Another Team re-furbishing the Langridge Initiative Centre in Middlesbrough were given �1,200 by UK Steel Enterprise, a long-standing supporter of the Princes Trust Programme run by Stockton Riverside College and designed to boost the skills and job prospects of unemployed and disadvantaged young people.

Sarah Thorpe of UK Steel Enterprise, the Tata Steel business-support subsidiary celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, said We have now given around �30,000 from our Community Support Fund to back 15 Princes Trust Team Programmes on Teesside, helping at least 150 young people into work. Their community projects also do a lot to improve the quality of life for people living in our steel areas.

The young people do a great job with their community projects and with the challenging Dragons Den-style presentations they have to make to win our funding, she added.

Details of UK Steel Enterprises support for business from 01642 777 777 or www.uksteelenterprise.co.uk.