Local Green Angels celebrated their achievements at an event in Toxteth Town Hall.
A total of 23 Green Angels have completed a range of courses including: Parks and Countryside Management, Horticulture and Environmental Education. In addition to the certificates received by Green Angels, trainees who had completed our Parks and Countryside Management and Horticulture courses also received internationally recognised AQA (Assessment Qualification Alliance) certificates in Plant Health and Grassland Management.
Councillor Steve Munby, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, attended and expressed his delight at the work achieved so far by the Green Angels project, and said what a positive influence it had been on the city since its inception early in 2014.
Euan Hall, Chief Executive of The Land Trust, presented the certificates to the Green Angels and was overwhelmed by the positivity and sense of celebration in the room. Euan said ‘I am delighted to be here presenting to and meeting so many of our Green Angels today. The work undertaken at Liverpool Festival Gardens to make these courses a success and to help people to gain more skills through the Green Angels project is amazing.’ He added ‘Meeting the Green Angels, hearing their stories and hopes for the future, has underlined to me how important green spaces and nature is in people’s lives’.
The Land Trust, the charity behind the Green Angels initiative, manages Liverpool Festival Gardens, where the Green Angels courses have largely taken place, and is very excited that this brand-new, innovative project has proven to be a resounding success in its first year. It is the first project of its kind for The Land Trust, who is committed to reaching out to communities and people through their work managing and developing green spaces across the country. The project is funded through The Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund and is due to run further courses in 2015.
A total of 38 people attended the Green Angels courses in 2014, with many of the Green Angels attending more than one course. From this group we have seen several enter into employment, sign up for further education, grow in confidence and make new friends as well as learn new skills, and connect with nature in their local green space.
This hugely successful event was attended, not only by the Green Angels, but also Myerscough College and Granby Toxteth Development Trust, who helped the graduating Green Angels to explore different options as to how to use the skills they have gained during the courses. Many people signed up to volunteer in other areas and several are looking to take the next step in their training.
Pictures are the Green Angels with their new certificates, with Green Angels Project Manager Carolyn Hassall, Euan Hall, Chief Executive of The Land Trust, and Councillor Steve Munby , as well as representatives from The Land Trust (Photo: Mike Jones)
