Teens get “big pat on the back” from elderly residents after renovating their garden

“BRILLIANT”, “fantastic” and “amazing” is how care home residents have described their garden after charitable teens carried out renovation work.

The students from the Safe in Tees Talley National Citizen Service (NCS) brightened up a previously plain area of the garden at Ingleby Care Home, on Lamb Lane, Ingleby Barwick.

They used old pallets to make an arbour for plants to grow around and residents to find shade during the summer sunshine.

They also painted a fence and birdhouse in the same purple as existing garden furniture, planted colourful flowers in plant pots and added bird feeders and solar powered lights.

Sheila Colburn, who lives at the home, said: “I’ve moved my chair closer to be able to see the garden. They have done a fantastic job. They deserve a great big pat on the back.”

Fellow resident Frank Wright added: “It looks brilliant. They always used to wave as I went in for my dinner. I was watching them one day and they were making a bench out of old pallets. They’ve painted it up and it looks amazing.”

Carol Singleton, home manager at Ingleby Care Home, said: “They’ve turned part of the garden that was looking a bit empty into a nice, bright and colourful part.

“The garden is overlooked from the downstairs dining room and residents and staff love the new view.

“I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done to the garden. The comments I’ve received from residents and their families are all positive. The garden is giving the residents something else to talk about when they are enjoying their meals.”

After completing their garden project, the NCS students, who are all 15-to-17-years-old, held a coffee morning for residents, family members and staff at the home.

Girisha Gosain, team leader for the Safe in Tees Talley NCS, said: “It was our pleasure designing this for the residents.

“Seeing them all stood at the window watching us and the smiles on their faces; we just knew we were all doing a good job.

“The comments we received at the coffee morning were just lovely. It was a shame about the weather having to rush the opening but having them all cheering and clapping from the window was just as good.

“I hope they enjoy it and we look forward to seeing them all again.”