Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme Thanks Local Community for Garden Refurbishment

Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme Thanks Local Community for Garden Refurbishment

Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme has reopened its garden as a sensory space for residents thanks to the help of local college students and the Mayor’s Charity Fund.

Construction and engineering students from Newcastle and Staffordshire College Group have proudly supported the refurbishment of the village’s residents’ garden in one of the largest community projects it has delivered across several curriculum areas.

The garden opening follows a successful partnership between the Mayor’s Charity Fund who sponsored the project and supplied materials, and NSCG Newcastle College as its students completed hours of design and labour to see the project to completion.

Using classroom knowledge to fulfil the live brief, learners from a variety of departments including Bricklaying, Joinery, T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction and Foundation Learners, worked together to plan, design, build and plant the sensory garden with Belong residents in mind.

T Level students and winning design team Skye Barker, Victoria Silva and Luke Elk-Oldham spent time researching dementia in order to design a space to perfectly cater to the needs of its users.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Newcastle Robert and Judy Bettley-Smith, along with Deputy Principal of NSCG Shelley Brown, officially reopened the garden for use joined by local government representatives, NSCG students and Belong customers and colleagues.

Emma Palin, experience and heritage coordinator at Belong who was key in the implementation of the project said: "It was fantastic to see how the students engaged with the process.

"Not only were they hardworking and committed, but also really enthusiastic – our residents had a great time watching them work, and they're really eager to get outside and start using the space."

Shelley Brown, deputy principal of NSCG, commented, “It was a privilege to be part of the re-opening of the sensory garden at Belong. Thank you to the Mayor and Mayoress Robert and Judy Betley-Smith for their support and to our fantastic staff and students for their hard work and commitment in bringing this project to life. A wonderful example of partnership and community in action.”

Story and images credit to Newcastle and Staffordshire Colleges Group.