Katie’s Volunteering Helps Grow Greens for Glen Fold Residents

A South Eastern Regional College Skills for Work trainee, Katie Brickstock, has been helping the residents at Glen Fold, Newcastle with some socially distanced vegetable growing during lockdown.

Katie, a past pupil of Shimna Integrated College, got the taste for gardening through her GCSE Horticulture course. She took part in a link project whilst at school and since progressing  to SERC  has continued with the project, allowing her to catch up with her friends from school as they work together to plant and maintain the raised beds for residents so they have access to fresh salad and vegetables.

The Level 1 Skills for Work Retail trainee, who prior to lockdown would have been on placement at the Barbican Centre in Newcastle is, like many students, following her course programme online.

Elaine Walsh McKee, Katie’s Training Support Officer at SERC said, “Katie is a very pleasant young lady who endeavours to do her very best, so it is no surprise to hear about her helping others in the community, especially during Volunteers’ Week.”

Andrea Harrison, Scheme Coordinator at Radius Housing’s Glen Fold said, “We are just so thrilled to have the relationship we have with the pupils and teachers from Shimna Integrated College - even when the students move on to work or College, they have stayed involved.

“Over the years we have been bowled over by the kindness and generosity shown by the students involved in the project towards our residents. The intergenerational work has been beneficial to everyone involved and during these uncertain times the staff and students, present and past, have gone above and beyond by continuing to work on Glen Fold’s raised beds by planting them out, weeding and irrigating them. We appreciate this so much as our residents have used the vegetables for soups and stews. A huge thank you to all involved from everyone in Glen Fold.”

SERC would like to say a huge thank you during Volunteers’ Week, 1 – 7 June, to all our students and staff who volunteer to help people and support causes at home or further afield.

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