DOING IT THEMSELVES

Youngsters from Timberscombe School took the hands-on approach when a new gate was needed for their school.

The project was part of the Somerset Rural Youth Project’s parish project, funded by Exmoor Sustainable Development Fund. The parish project aims to put together local young people, local craftsmen and conservation projects within their community that needed doing. After the recent successful completion of the Winsford church wall, the Timberscombe school entrance and gate was the final part of the project for the partnership to tackle.

The school gate was supplied in kit form by the Exmoor National Park Authority’s field services team and was constructed by the children from Timberscombe First School under the guidance of head teacher Marcus Capel and education support officer Patrick-Watts-Mabbott.  

Marcus Capel said: This was a great opportunity for the children to work as a team, using their Design and Technology skills to build and hang the gate, together with improving a key area of the village. We have had lots of positive comments from villagers and friends; there is a great buzz around the village about the children’s work. It is an excellent example of cooperation between the National Park Authority, the school, local craftsmen an businesses. I’d also like to thank C.J Lynch for their excellent ground preparation.”

The Somerset Rural Youth Project has also been working with a group of students from Year 10 at Kingsmead School, Wiveliscombe plus Sam Moore a young volunteer with SRYP, who is working towards his Gold V-award. The work at Timberscombe was carried out during National Volunteering Week which was rolled out across Somerset by a number ofdifferent agencies hoping to encourage lots more young people to take up the challenge and volunteer in their community. The V-awards are part of the BRAVO project which was launched by SRYP on 1 June 2008, funded by Vinvolved project.

Exmoor National Park Authority’s education manager Dave Gurnett says: The re-walling of the school entrance provided a great opportunity for the young people to learn from local craftsman and stonewaller Russell Liversidge. This is part of the students’ vocational training in Practical Environmental Skills as part of their ABC Award and what’s just as important is that everyone seemed to enjoy doing it.”