School teams up with P3 in #iwill social action project
Residents and staff from P3’s Derbyshire services joined forces with students from the Ormiston Enterprise Academy in Ilkeston on a community litter pick.
25 Year 8 pupils and their teachers braved the blustery weather as part of a ‘Unity in the Community’ initiative which will see the students getting involved in various local projects over the course of the year, in partnership with local organisations like P3, which is based near Ilkeston.
Service Manager for Derbyshire Homeless Services, Kerry Dungavel said:
“A lot of the students come from the area and wanted to have pride in where they live. The school asked us to take part as they also wanted to involve the wider community, highlighting our service and homelessness.”
The project is part of the school’s response to #iwill, which is a nationwide campaign to encourage more young people aged 10-20 years old to get involved in social action.
Equipment and clothing was provided by local firm Motifs
The mass clean-up began at Cotmanhay Recreation Ground and fanned out to include the nearby area where many of the students live.
One student said “I have football training on the park here, and a lot of rubbish is dumped on the streets and gets blown over.”
Another added: “I wanted to help my local community, as I live in Ilkeston.”
Ormiston teacher Georgie Hill, who has worked with the children to organise this project, said: “Students created the project, and decided to do a litter pick, working with Erewash Council and P3, a charity that works with people to change their lives for the better. We plan to do something every term from clean ups, performances, cooking or gardening.”
Residents of P3’s supported accommodation, which houses people who have experienced homelessness and mental ill health, also volunteered to help out. Sam* lives nearby and said:
“I would volunteer every day if I could. My mum’s a warden for the local church and I help out at Christmas delivering food parcels.”
*name changed to preserve anonymity.
