Our Coast, Our Sea - High School students help wildlife charity in hour of need

26 July 2010

A group of 8 students from Ashington Community High School ended its school year helping Northumberland Wildlife Trust in the wake of the fire at its Hauxley Visitor Centre.

With the regular teams of Trust volunteers being deployed to help with the clean up operation at Hauxley, there was the possibility that much needed work at its East Chevington site would remain unfinished by the start of the school holidays.

Hearing of the Trust’s plight, teacher Tony Hall and his students aged between 13 to 15 years rolled up their sleeves and offered their support.

Over the course of two days, the group laid a new footpath between the Druridge Bay Country Park and the wildlife charity’s East Chevington reserve thereby making the area much easier for members of the public to explore. Prior to this, the woodland path had been quite rough terrain and strewn with old branches and leaves.

Not content with this, the students then set to work building a bridge over a ditch using re-cycled piping and installing new signage to the site to enhance accessibility.

Alex Lister, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Estates Officer worked with the young people over the two days and was very impressed with their efforts, he said: “Yet again, the pupils at Ashington High School have come up with the goods. At a time when young people are receiving so much criticism in the press, I have to say I
was amazed by their hard work.”

He continued: “The work was quite strenuous but they never once complained and had a great time getting their hands dirty. Their help allowed our regular volunteer groups to concentrate their efforts on tidying up our burnt out Hauxley site before the start of the school holidays.”