Students from Barking and Dagenham College showed their community spirit by volunteering to clean up the grounds of one of the borough’s most famous attractions.
Medieval manor house, Valence House, which is situated in Valence Park, needed a tidy-up of its grounds.
Students Ajay Philips, 17, and Omega Chibuzo Findoro–Obasi, 18, volunteered their time to assist heritage ranger, Roisin Barrowclift and regular conservation volunteers at Valence House in clearing up the grounds, working hard to clear brambles, weeds and broken glass.
The pair were participating in the vInspired scheme – the UK’s leading volunteering programme, enabling young people to make social impacts in their local area.
The college runs a six month vInspired course for local 16-25 year olds which focuses on the environment and how young people can make positive change in their local surroundings.
Participants learn vital skills, including teamwork and problem-solving which helps them to prepare them for their future.
They also get to make a positive contribution to the local community by carrying our voluntary work; previous projects have involved things such as clearing undergrowth and litter near the borough’s ponds and canals.
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