ENVIRONMENTAL groups joined forces with Tavistock College to spend the weekend working in the local community — giving students a sense of how fulfilling volunteering can be.

The students worked alongside Westden and Tavistock Taskforce clearing and landscaping the sensory garden at the Molly Owen Centre, before designing land at the front of Tavistock Football Club on Sunday, November 8.

Max Laithwaite, from Westden, said: 'It was fantastic to work in partnership with Tavistock College and Tavistock Taskforce to help make a real difference in the local community. I hope Sunday's event will be the first of many.'

Mr Laithwaite said in addition to helping good causes, the day was designed to introduce sixth form students to the concept of sustainability through voluntary community work and design and discussion.

Teacher Pete Keegan said: 'It was a great day. The students expanded their thinking about their rights and responsibilities towards their environment and we all felt thoroughly rewarded by the experience.

'My tutor group will now give an assembly to other sixth form students to encourage them to get involved in environmental taskforcing.'

Rachel Dodd, senior support worker at the Molly Owen Centre, said the garden now looked fresh and tidy.

'It has allowed the people we support to walk freely around the area and enjoy the garden again,' she added.

'We are very grateful.'

Sixth former Kyle Blake said it was really rewarding to help people at the Molly Owen Centre and enable them to use an area which had previously been too dangerous.

Student Rachel Williams added: 'It was great to be able to see how much work was needed and then getting to sort it out, we could really see how our work would help people at the centre.'

Westden works to promote gardening in schools as a healthy and worthwhile activity through the Community School Garden Network.

As well as visiting schools, the charity introduces sustainable literacy to students through its website at http://www.westden.org.uk">www.westden.org.uk