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One Brick at a Time

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Earlier this year NWTC ran a competition open to all NWTC students. 40 students expressed interest in being selected to volunteer on the project. Following written submissions, internal interviews and tutor feedback, two worthy students were selected – James Hitchmough and Martin Jones.

James and Martin accompanied staff from Chester & District Housing Trust, Halton Housing Trust and a retired policeman (who self funded his trip) to participate in this exciting and life changing expedition. The team swapped the autumn chill of the North West to work in the plus 30 degree African heat, to renovate and reconstruct St. Peter & Paul Primary School (in Fort Portal) utilising their construction skills to build an extension to the school to provide sleeping accommodation for the orphaned pupils, who as well as being taught also slept in their classrooms. The school has 756 students, with a large percentage of the students being orphans due to the civil war in Uganda.   James and Martin took along with them 22 new football shirts and 7 footballs, purchased by NWTC as gifts to children.

NWTC would like to thank the staff of the National Apprenticeships Service who held a sponsored bike ride to raise much appreciated funds and Bebington Rotary Club for their kind donations towards the funding of James and Martins trip.

To raise further funds for this exciting trip, 2 NWTC staff, Peter Albones and Mike Herrity, participated in a charity bike ride, cycling from Liverpool to Chester and back again – a 4 hour journey cycling through wind and torrential rain! This inspiring cycle ride raised a healthy £100. We would like to thank Peter and Mike and their cycling partners Peter Albones jnr and Paul Pope for their well earner contribution.  

The benefits of the regeneration project are immense for all those involved; the local community, local trainees and graduates and the volunteers who will work outside of their normal surroundings. By working together and sharing skills and resources the local community is slowly rebuilding and repairing local schools and communities. Participation brings the opportunity for local trainees to work as part of a team and gain experience not possible in everyday life, this way local learners are being taught how to build and sustain a better future.