Posted: 12/10/11
Bank staff to dig in with students
Banking giant Barclay’s has teamed up with Vision West Notts to help students nurture a new garden at one of its campuses.
Following a board meeting of principal and chief executive Asha Khemka's Inspire and Achieve Foundation, board member and Barclay’s bank relationship director Claire Kenny offered support to help make a difference to the lives of students at the college's Ashfield Centre, which caters for young people at risk of dropping out of education, employment or training.
On Wednesday (19 October) Claire will join colleagues from Barclays in transforming a barren area of land at the centre, in Sutton-in-Ashfield, into a flower and vegetable garden complete with raised beds and a picket fence.
Following Barclay’s donation of £500 to purchase seeds, plants and hard landscaping resources, the bank staff will be wielding their spades and forks while students and tutors from the college’s carpentry and joinery curriculum provide expertise and project management to guide the volunteers.
This activity follows on from a development day last April, which saw 12 students from the centre visit Barclay’s new corporate headquarters at the prestigious Snow Hill development in central Birmingham to learn about interview-preparation techniques, customer care and corporate banking.
Ashfield Centre manager Sarah Le Good said: “The learners have been looking forward to getting stuck in to designing and creating their very own garden area, which they can use during break times.
“We’re very grateful to Barclays for funding the garden project, which will give students and staff immense pleasure for many years to come."
