A team of young people on a Prince’s Trust programme have improved a memorial garden at a Mansfield Woodhouse-based charity.

They built a pond, made planters from pallets, and created a bug hotel, and a hedgehog house.

Mansfield Team 6 also completed general maintenance inside the Hetty’s building.

The work helped the young people complete the Prince’s Trust Team Programme in conjunction with The Inspire & Achieve Foundation — a youth charity based in Mansfield.

The 12-week programme aims to give young people confidence and abilities they might need in the future. It covers team building on a residential, work experience, interview skills, and a community project.

Debbie Knowles, Hetty’s chief executive, said: “This team were such a pleasure to work with — hard working, thoughtful, respectful, and they made such a positive impact on Hetty’s premises in just two short weeks. We cannot thank them enough.

“Watching them grow and develop their skills during the two weeks was very humbling.

“And to host two of the students afterwards for their work placements was also a pleasure.”
Members of the team programme have to find, plan, fundraise, and complete a two-week project that benefits the community.

In June, Mansfield Team 6 chose Hetty’s, which is dedicated to offer emotional support to families in Nottinghamshire affected by a loved one’s alcohol or drug use, as the focus of their community project.

To fund their efforts to enhance Hetty’s memorial garden, Team 6 organised a series of fundraising events, including a tombola in the Four Seasons Shopping Centre, Mansfield; a bake sale around the town centre; and a 10-mile walk around Sherwood Forest. They collected almost £540 for the cause.

The young people thanked businesses in Mansfield that contributed to their tombola, acknowledging the support of Jack Of All Hearts charity shop, Extra Care, The A World, British Heart Foundation, Regency Cleaners, Ministry of Design, Boots, Smyths Toys, Costa, RSPCA, The Glazey Place, and Sense. Special thanks were sent to Games Emporium, Rastatattoo, and Ground Zero Comics.

Anyone aged 16 to 26 who is not in employment, education, or training and want to join the next team programme should call Jaye Crew on 07932 649756 or email [email protected]