Students from Wirral Met College harnessed their skills to build bird boxes and bug hotels for the new tranquil woodland area for staff, patients, and visitors at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust.
The ‘Woodland Glade’ at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Wirral has recently been developed as a landscaped outdoor area for anyone needing a moment of rest and relaxation.
The transformation of the space comes with the implementation of Clatterbridge’s first ever Green Plan – Creating a Greener CCC – that aims to drive sustainable change across the Trust.
Kerry Gibbons, Sustainability Programme Manager said, “As the sustainability lead for the Trust, part of my role involves looking at the green spaces around our hospitals and identifying ways that we can help support opportunities for biodiversity enhancement.
“At our Wirral site, we are very fortunate to have an area of woodland at the back of the hospital. We wanted to develop the site in a green and sustainable way – reducing carbon emissions and improving biodiversity, in line with our Green Plan.
“We reached out to Wirral Met College for their help and luckily, they said yes – we’re so grateful for their support! We’re looking forward to seeing the space come together and their students’ wonderful creations being used by our local wildlife.”
Wirral Met student, Leighton said, “So many people have a connection to Clatterbridge – it’s great to be a part of something that is giving back and knowing I’m doing something that others can enjoy. It’s really rewarding being able to see the end result of our hard work.”
Karen Campbell, progress coach for construction at Wirral Met College said, “It’s been such a group effort. The timber for the project was kindly donated by Wirral Food Bank by recycling old timber.
“Our painting and decorating students researched the best eco-friendly paint to use, working alongside our carpentry students to create something that both animals and people can enjoy.
“We’re firm believers that students can achieve their ambitions and we’re committed to making sure this becomes a reality for them.
“We want to guide them, and prepare them with the skills and expertise for real life. Seeing students’ confidence and their enthusiasm about giving back to the local community has made us so proud of them.”
For more information about Construction and the Built Environment courses at Wirral Met, visit https://wmc.ac.uk/courses/construction-the-built-environment
