Green Team celebrated at BBC Make a Difference awards

Cambridge Regional College’s Green Team, made up of supported educational needs students and tutors who work in the community on horticultural projects, was celebrated at the BBC’s Make a Difference awards.

The BBC Make a Difference awards, which sees various social action groups and individuals nominated for making life better for others across a range of categories, were held at Hinxton Hall on the Wellcome Sanger Institute’s campus.

The Green Team was nominated and named a finalist in recognition of the work they do around Cambridgeshire at locations such as Anglesey Abbey, Hinchingbrooke Country Park and Grafham Water alongside the transformational impact it has on the individuals that take part in the programme. The team help transform, care for and maintain beautiful spaces for the local community helping with the landscaping, ensuring trees are cut and pruned, lawns cut, grounds maintained, building fences, as well as helping to build dens and other projects.

It is through the coaching, mentoring, support and teaching by Andrew Fountain and his team that students hone their skills, build self-confidence, life skills and develop skills that can lead to fulfilling career prospects for life after college. The act of working in these green spaces is a powerful tool for wellbeing and inspiration, undertaking practical hands-on work, students find a sense of ownership and pride.

Andrew has been involved in the Green Team over 20 years, and since then the programme has helped transformed the lives of many students with special educational needs – with students leaving CRC going into full time and part-time jobs in a variety of sectors and independent living.

Speaking of the recognition, Andrew said: “I’m thoroughly delighted that our endeavours have been recognised. It’s a real honour for all of us connected to the team and for all the students in our provision.

“The Green Team recognises the ability and not the ‘disability’ – fundamentally it changes lives. It’s great recognition for the work the team does. I’m so glad somebody nominated us.”

Jeremy Lloyd, Assistant Principal – SEND, added: “We are absolutely overjoyed that the work of our students and staff has been recognised by the BBC Make a Difference Awards. The projects are transformative for our local green spaces and hugely life changing for our students with special educational needs. This has all been achieved through team work and collaboration and is embedded in the work we do across the county.”

This is a great testament for all connected to the Green Team, twice having been nominated previously, and the work that goes in to enriching the lives of the students it works with – and demonstrating everybody has the ability to do something extraordinary.

Congratulations to everyone else nominated for their respective categories, and congratulations to Vhari Russell for taking the Green Award this year.