Participants building a fence

The Green Recovery Project is a partnership between Groundwork East and Huntingdonshire District Council with the aim to improve public spaces, boost biodiversity, and engage local communities. To achieve these goals, we work with local volunteers (19+) who are looking to develop their personal and practical skills. Volunteers joining the course are offered the opportunity to achieve a City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Practical Horticulture and a City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Employability Skills.

The projects are run by Eve and Jacob, our two training and skills project officers in Cambridgeshire!

Groundwork staff on site clearing river area smiling

For those volunteers completing their City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Practical Horticulture there are 3 modules they will need to complete. The modules will vary slightly depending on the project but will be tasks such as using a nylon-cord strimmer, maintaining hand tools, or identifying tree species. We use the practical days to teach and assess these modules and there are lots of opportunities to practice and (if necessary) re-take assessments. You will be provided with steel toe cap boots (or wellies), gloves, t-shirts, and a hoodie – all of which are yours to keep at the end of the project! Other PPE such as safety glasses and ear protection will be available for you to use.

Upcoming Courses

(courses run Wednesday to Friday from 10am-3pm for 8 weeks)

Wednesday 16 April 2025 at Spring Common , Huntingdon

Fill out the online form (click below) to apply for a course

Alternatively, come and see us at the Huntingdon Job Centre:

17, 27 and 31 March, and 10 April 2025

You can also contact us directly on E: eve.lucas@groundwork.org.uk T: 07736 132497

Participants on green recovery project montage

What’s involved

Wednesday and Friday are practical days where we complete a wide variety of conservation and landscaping tasks. These can range from cutting back overgrown vegetation, to making bat boxes, to planting bulbs and shrubs. In these sessions we work with volunteers of all levels of experience to upskill them in their practical abilities. This could include using a drill, measuring and cutting wood, planting and maintaining trees, and much more!

Thursdays are an inside day where we work on developing interpersonal skills such as teamworking, communication, and managing conflict. Throughout these sessions we have an emphasis on mental health; covering topics such as dealing with emotions, coping strategies, and practicing self-compassion. We also focus on the volunteer’s individual progression and spend time looking at CVs, good interview practice, and creating individual action plans for after the project.

Upon completion of the project the volunteers are invited to bring their family and friends to a celebration event where they can show off their hard work and will be presented with their certificates. The final day of project will be a ‘jolly day’ where the volunteers will choose a group activity to do together as a fun way to say thank you for all their effort!

CASE STUDIES

Thank you also to all of our Partners and Funders: Huntingdon District Council, City & Guilds, Cambridgeshire Skills, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority

Volunteer Quotes

The best time of my life and the best working experience I have ever been a part of, every week brought something new

I have really enjoyed it, I felt challenged and supported and I wish it wasn’t over

The course boosted my self-confidence and I am going to use the transferrable skills for my business – I hope to continue to upskill myself so I can use a chainsaw in the future

It was amazing, fun, and makes you feel good. I’m getting out more and my fitness has improved. I have become more social and made good friends. I will continue to do productive tasks and have a lot of knowledge from the course so will be able to use it in the future to find a job

Logos of all the partners and funders