A GROUP of enthusiastic young people rolled up their sleeves to transform a community allotment for the benefit of people with learning disabilities.

The members of Bishop Auckland’s Prince’s Trust Team programme took on the ambitious challenge at the South Church Lane Allotments.

It forms part of a 12-week course, delivered by Stockton Riverside College, which sees unemployed young people take part in a series of tasks and challenges, to help them gain skills and confidence to find a job or training.

Team leader Peter Ahmed said: “Revamping the allotment was a particularly tough challenge, which has taken a lot of hard work.”

The allotment will be used by service users of Innovations, a day care service providing leisure, learning and employment opportunities for adults with learning disabilities.

Funding from North Star Housing and Barclays, cash raised by the team members, together with generous discounts from the town’s Homebase and Jewson stores allowed for a complete overhaul.

The Cornforth Partnership offered some tips on how to put the space to best use and, in two weeks, the Prince’s Trust Team dug out the allotment, making way for a wheelchair suitable path and hand rail, painted the surrounding fencing and woodwork, and installed a three stage composting system.

A large leisure shed is also expected to be installed shortly.

Innovations’ Hazel Kennedy said: “It will make a massive difference to our service users, in particular making the facility far more accessible to those who use wheelchairs and walking frames.”