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Bancroft Garden and Triangle Garden get a boost whilst group learn new practical skills

Yesterday (27 October 2021) saw the completion of a Green Skills course in Hitchin where a group of unemployed volunteers learnt new practical skills by improving Bancroft and Triangle gardens in Hitchin.

Green Skills is an employment and skills course run by community charity Groundwork East, with this course funded by DWP and run in partnership with North Hertfordshire District Council and the Triangle Community Garden.

The six-week course has seen a group of four learn about preparing soil, planting bulbs and perennial shrubs as well as maintaining borders in Bancroft Gardens, to maintain the area’s appearance. They also gap filled and weeded the existing beds which were originally designed by Groundwork’s landscape architects in a previous project. At Triangle Community Garden the team cut down a hedge to increase visibility there, and planted some strawberry mint in the forest garden.

They have also received information and guidance to help them in moving towards work or further training/volunteering in the outdoor sector.

Matthew Sutcliffe, Senior Employment Project Officer at Groundwork said “The group have worked hard to revitalise both the gardens for the benefit of the local residents that use them. They now have practical experience to help them gain employment or go on to further training. Congratulations to the team!”

Cllr Steve Jarvis, North Herts Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Leisure said: “North Herts Council is really pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to enable unemployed volunteers to learn some new skills and experience a different working environment.  We are grateful that they have chosen to work in Bancroft Recreation Ground where their input will be seen by the whole community.”

Since July 2021, 100% of participants said the Green Skills course had helped improve confidence and well-being and 90% of participants said the course had helped improved physical health and job seeking ability.