Young offenders spruce up Care Home garden - 07/09/06
The garden at Southerndown Care Home is blossoming thanks to
members of the Youth Offending Team in the Vale of Glamorgan.
More than 20 young people carried out three months of extensive
reparation work, including cutting back and maintaining the hedges
and grass, painting exterior walls and doors, as well as repairing
the fencing and dry stone walls.
The garden is now thoroughly enjoyed by the residents of the
Care Home for the visually challenged, and also became the ideal
venue for their Summer Fete.
Mr Dilwyn Price, from the Care Home, said: "Initially we were
sceptical about getting young offenders involved because of the
vulnerable nature of our residents. However the working
arrangements have proved very successful, the level of supervision
of the young people is re-assuring and it is nice to see young
people acquiring new skills."
As a result of the strong working relationship built up, the
Youth Offending Team were asked if they wished to have a stall at
the Summer Fete.
The items displayed at the stall were made by other young people
involved in a separate arts and crafts reparation project, run by a
volunteer from the local community, Mrs Margaret Noble.
The Youth Offending Team and the Southerndown Care Home look
forward to continuing a long and beneficial relationship.