Skilled apprentice joins team improving South Tyneside's green spaces

Mark Twigg, 23, spent almost six months learning the ropes on a traineeship with communities’ charity Groundwork South Tyneside and Newcastle.

It taught Mark, of Horsley Hill, South Shields, how to safely clear gardens of waste, tidy and improve local green spaces, and operate machinery and hand tools.

His fast learning and enthusiasm have now won him a one-year environmental apprenticeship with Groundwork’s Land Team, which works to improve underused or neglected urban areas.

Funding has come from Big Local Central Jarrow, a Big Lottery Fund-backed initiative to bring environmental improvement to the town over a decade.

Mark, who had been unemployed for two years, said: “The experience I gained with Groundwork on my traineeship was excellent.

“I’ve enjoyed the variety of work, met a lot of new friends and learnt about the importance of teamwork.

“I was working as part of a small team and felt so committed to the good work we were doing, that I often worked voluntarily at times when I should have finished for the day.”

More information on Big Local Central Jarrow is available from project co-ordinator Anne Corrigan by emailing [email protected]