Eccles Prince’s Trust Team Smarten up Westwood Smarties!!

Written by John Cullen - Prince's Trust Team member, age 19

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has been working in partnership with City West Housing Trust (CWHT) to run a Prince’s Trust Team in Eccles. This is the first time GMFRS and CWHT have worked together to run a Prince’s Trust programme and the first time there has been a team like this in Eccles.

Eccles Team 1 are a group of 12 young people aged between 16 and 24. We have been completing a two week community project at Westwood Smarties in Winton. Westwood Smarties is a local nursery for toddlers who are from the Winton estate and surrounding neighbourhood.

We chose to complete the project at the nursery because they receive no government funding and it doesn’t cost very much to send your child there. I have lived in Winton most of my life and thought it would be good to give something back to my local community.

Angela Sands, the Team leader for the programme, said: "The team has worked tirelessly to renovate and clean up the run down nursery garden. They have been digging, painting and creating a mural for the children.

"They have been wood chipping an area and creating a vegetable patch so the children can learn about growing potatoes and carrots. All of the team members are here to learn new skills, gain confidence and try to gain employment and skills for life."

The murial completed by the team	Stepping stones were added

GMFRS has been running Prince’s Trust programmes in Greater Manchester for over 10 years and has helped hundreds of young people to gain further qualifications and jobs. GMFRS is also working to offer future employment opportunities for Prince’s Trust team members.

We have been fundraising for the project, by bag packing at a local ASDA supermarket, holding a cake sale, name the teddy competition and a raffle. In total we raised more than £600 for the project.

We want to show that good things can happen in our local community of the Salford West area and Eccles, despite the recent sad events currently being shown in the media. The young people who live in this area aren’t all criminals and vandals - we can make a difference, and the local community has been really supportive of our project - we have received donations from City West, Salford City Reds, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, B&Q and Wilkinsons. Lots of local businesses have also helped raise funds and donated prizes for our raffle.

Eccles Station Manager Paul Smitham said: "It's fantastic that the community of Winton has a lovely new nursery garden and that is down to the hard work and teamwork of these inspiring young people.

"It's wonderful to be working in partnership with City West to run the scheme at Eccles Community Fire Station and offer this opportunity to young people in the area for the first time."

Written by John Cullen - Team member, age 19
For further info contact our Team leader Angela Sands on 07854494816 or sandsa@manchesterfire.gov.uk