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Apprentices from Western Power Distribution went back to school for a few days to tackle a community challenge and improve the outdoor space at Craig Y Parc school near Cardiff. 

The Scope school offers both residential and day care learning for around 50 students with a range of special needs and nursing care.

Darren Berry from WPD, one of the engineer’s co-ordinating the challenge explained: “We wanted to give our new recruits a challenge that would take them out of their normal training environment where they could utilise team working skills for the benefit of the community. Everyone has given 110% every day and achieved such a lot.”

The work involved opening up the outdoor space, clearing and widening overgrown pathways through the woods making it more accessible for wheelchair use. During the four day challenge the apprentices cleared overgrown pathways, erected 260 metres of fencing, designed and built 21 raised planters suitable for wheelchair users to maintain, plus 2 picnic benches and an outdoor Jenga game.

Darren continued: “The feedback from students and staff has been rewarding and we can see the work will have far reaching rewards for many years to come.”

Paula Williams, Principal said: “The work that Western Power has done for us is absolutely fantastic!  They have worked with us and listened to what we wanted to achieve as a school to develop our external learning environment. They worked such long hours over a really large area of land and showed amazing commitment to getting the job finished, which was a huge task in the given time. As a result 3 areas have been developed, the pathway and picnic benches through the woodland is outstanding, ensuring  our young people can now access this area, the huge area of decking and accessible planters will enable the gardening and outdoor learning to develop further and our Ty Cwtch garden looks beautiful!

“We could never have achieved this without their help and cannot thank them enough.”