Celebration event for our Green Recovery participants!
We are holding a celebration event for participants on our employment programme, Green Recovery. The programme funded by the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority, provides a hands-on experience for people wanting to move into a career in the conservation sector.
The celebration event is taking place on 13 March 2025 from 11am-1pm at Huntingdon Town Hall and will be attended by the Deputy Lieutenant, Mr Daryl Brown MBE DL. Huntingdonshire District Council and Groundwork East Trustee representatives will also attend the event.
Groundwork East is committed to supporting people into green jobs through programmes like Green Recovery as the sector continues to grow – in 2024 adverts for environmental job roles increased by 9.2% (PWC, 2024). The event will celebrate Green Recovery participants who have been working at Riverside Park in Huntingdon where they have been boosting biodiversity by removing overgrown vegetation, planting new hedgerows and mulching them, planting trees, clearing flood damage from public pathways and creating new wildflower strips.
Green Recovery is part of a wider programme being delivered by Huntingdonshire District Council through the funding received from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority., The programme offers the opportunity for participants to complete two qualifications: City and Guilds Level 1 Award in Practical Horticulture Skills and Level 1 Award in Employability Skills. Spending time in nature has a positive impact on our mental and physical health, and crucially, Green Recovery is designed to boosts biodiversity and improve public spaces which can be enjoyed by communities.
The Green Recovery programme also focuses on building important soft skills such as teamwork, confidence and support in creating CVs, as well as advice on how to succeed in interviews.
The Green Recovery Project provides a fantastic opportunity for local adults to work on their personal development. They work as a team to improve the biodiversity in a local green area, and learn about horticulture and conservation techniques as they go. The participants are supported to expand their communication, teamwork, and mental health knowledge and understanding through 1:1 sessions with the tutors and group lessons
While on the project the participants are given to opportunity to complete two qualifications as well as gain experience using a variety of hand and power tools. I would recommend this project to anyone stuck in a rut that has an interest in working outdoors!
Eve Lucas, Senior Project Officer, Groundwork East
Today we are celebrating another successful Green Recovery Project, a brilliant initiative that enhances our public spaces, supports biodiversity, and empowers local communities. By providing volunteers with hands-on experience and valuable qualifications, this partnership with Groundwork East is helping individuals develop practical skills while making a real difference to our environment. We are proud to support this project and look forward to seeing its positive impact across Huntingdonshire
Councillor Simone Taylor, Executive Councillor for Parks and Countryside, Waste and Street Scene
Green Recovery is a great example of how our funding empowers local individuals to gain valuable skills and qualifications while reaping the many health and wellbeing benefits of connecting with nature. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has some great public spaces cherished by their communities. I’m proud that through this initiative, we’re not only enriching lives but also inspiring more people to join the growing environmental job sector
Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough