Green-fingered teens transform care home garden

GREEN-FINGERED teens from Huddersfield have transformed a care home garden as part of a national citizenship initiative.

The group of 15-to-17-year-old students from the Huddersfield Giants Community Trust carried out the work at Thornhill Care Home, on Thornhill Road, Edgerton.

As part of their National Citizenship Service (NCS), they cut back brambles, removed weeds, planted flowers, and sanded and stained a handrail that gives elderly residents access to further areas of the garden.

The students generated money for the project through fundraising activities, before taking part in Dragons’ Den style pitches with ideas on how it should be used.

Eileen Cooper, 94, a resident at Thornhill Care Home, said: “I am amazed at what they have done in such a small amount of time. I am already enjoying the garden thanks to their hard work.”

Ilona Ruttle, activities coordinator at the care home, helped organise the project. She said: “The NCS group have done a fabulous job. I was worried about the weather turning while they were here but they just carried on and got so much done.

“We’d like to say a massive thank you to the group and to the Huddersfield Giants Community Trust for considering Thornhill Care Home for this project. It has already made such a difference for our residents.”

Georgia Mills, NCS supervisor for the Huddersfield Giants Community Trust, said: “The young people were all very excited and eager to take part in the project and were delighted by the response from residents.

“It was a pleasure spending time at Thornhill Care Home and we would love to be able to work with them again to continue the legacy of the project.”