Blackburn youngsters help transform church grounds (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn youngsters help transform church grounds

5:00pm Friday 6th July 2012 in Blackburn

A DOZEN green-fingered teenagers have been hailed for rejuvenating a community through a week’s hard work.

Pupils from Blakewater College in Blackburn have been completing a project at Westbury Gardens United Reformed Church.

Teacher Joe Burns said they youngsters first cleared 440 kilos of rubbish from the site ahead of a major refurbishment of the site.

Mr Burns, who also runs a judo club at the church community centre, said he hopes he can help make the youngsters’ work a regular effort at the site.

He said: “We have taken 12 students down every day this week and they have made a real difference.

“Many of the children live in the local community and it is nice to see them give a little bit back.

“They have all worked really hard.”

He said that much of the work had seen overgrown trees and hedges cut back. Complaints had been made that children had been hiding in the undergrowth at the site and jumping out at walkers.

Mr Burns added: “The kids have really enjoyed it and most live in walking distance from the church anyway.

“A lot of people in the church congregation are very elderly and the church grounds have become very overgrown.

“When we came down earlier to remove all of the rubbish we found all sorts.

“There were mattresses and all sorts of rubbish here before we could even get started.”

He said that looking forward he wants to put together a group of 14 or 15 youngsters to help with planting and agricultural work at the site.