Cadets' community project helps transform care home's garden

A team of police cadets have come together to give back to their community by transforming an overgrown care home garden.

The group of young people, aged between 11 and 16, spent two evenings getting their hands dirty at the Old Vicarage Care Home in Worksop to help staff and residents with a garden makeover.

Each year, Nottinghamshire Police’s six cadet bases in Hyson Green, Bulwell, Bestwood, Arnold, Mansfield, and Worksop are tasked with completing a community project, which the cadets plan themselves.

Cadet leader Jake Green, who helped oversee the planting sessions, said: “The cadets have thoroughly enjoyed their community project. They spent a lot of time planning how their flowerbeds would look and they worked very hard as a team to bring their plans to life.”

The 14 Worksop cadets were split into two groups to design the layout and colours of flowerbeds at the care home, which provides residential care for the elderly and people suffering from dementia.

They spent several hours clearing borders, removing weeds and overgrowth, and planting new flowers and shrubs on May 29 and June 5 to bring the garden back into use for residents.

Dozens of plants were donated by the cadets who each brought along trays of flowers, lights, and a garden ornament in the shape of a dog.

Volunteer Police Cadets are the nationally recognised police uniformed youth group in England and Wales.

In Nottinghamshire, junior cadet sessions are available to secondary school students between Years 7 and 11, with senior cadet sessions available to those in Years 12 and 13.

A total of 31 cadet leaders, made up of police officers, staff and civilian volunteers, offer their time, skills and knowledge to operate the force’s six cadet bases by running weekly sessions during school term time to 148 young people across Nottinghamshire.

Sergeant Vanessa Wake, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Our cadets across Nottinghamshire are an enthusiastic bunch who relish the opportunity to support their communities.

“Providing opportunities for young people to be independent and develop life skills is key for their personal development.

“Working with young people forms an integral part of our Prevention Hub, which proactively develops strategies to prevent crime and disorder across our great county.”