CHILDREN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

April 18 2005

Teenagers in Northfield are helping to change their community for the better by taking part in an ongoing campaign to clean up their area. The children who have formed a Youth Forum on the Hole Farm Estate, began the clean up operation by giving up a day of their Easter holidays to paint a fence in St. Josephs Avenue.

From left to right, Philip Trewartha, aged 16, John Fareless aged 14, Junior Trewathra, aged 16, Sian Richards,aged 10, Lauren Need,aged 14, Kym Benjamin, aged 14, Jake Richards, aged 15 and BVT organiser, Rebecca Debenham.

Organised by local housing association, Bournville Village Trust, the ten children from Woodlands youth group, taking part in the initiative have also carried out litter picks in the area. Recycled materials salvaged during the litter picks will be saved and used for future projects, such as junk percussion, modelling and youth activities.

Rebecca Debenham, Community Assistant at Bournville Village Trust said: "As a high performance organisation, it was good to see colleagues from different sections of the housing services team work together with the young people to achieve results for the benefit of the local community. We organised the event to encourage teenagers on our estate to take pride in the areas where they live. We are delighted with the interest they have shown in the initiative. The young people involved with the Woodlands Youth Group are part of an up and coming youth forum and we wish them every success."