ENVIRONMENTAL group Westden and students of Tavistock College have joined forces to renovate sites at the school.

The Community Landscape Network (CLaN) project aims to deliver sustainable landscapes around school sites for outside-the-classroom learning.

Max Laithwaite, co-ordinator or Westden and an associate governor at the college helped the a group from the school raise £1,000 — last term Westden facilitated several learning and design sessions with a group from Year 9.

The students, all of whom are from the special educational needs department, took Max and his colleague Sue Fisher on a tour of the college, chose a site to renovate, researched other schools and created a design. This was being put into place recently.

Teachers, senior management, governors, caretakers and parents as well as other community members joined in the effort.

The team cleared up the outdoor picnic area, sanded back all 16 of the large picnic benches and painted them yellow, blue and red.

Max and Sue expressed thanks to everyone who turned up over the weekend and worked so hard.

Westden and the student group also thanked the following organisations: Focus DIY in Tavistock who provided a 15% discount on the woodstain for the benches and for organising ICI to provide two tins free; Morrisons for donating £10 worth of refreshments for the hardworking volunteers; and Tavistock Hire Centre for providing two belt sanders at a discount.

Westden will help finish the area with a raised bed for growing vegetables, a water butt and rain saver, art installations and the rest of the group's designs.

It is hoped that a local dignatory will officially re-open the area.

Westden is working closely with the college to identify other areas and projects across the site which can benefit all of the community.

If you would like to volunteer, contact Max on 01822 618715 or [email protected]">[email protected]