A GROUP of 16-25-year-olds helped to assist in the rejuvenation of the former Barnsley Main Colliery site at Hoyle Mill by creating an educational resource centre for young people.
The team of ten people from Barnsley are currently enrolled on a 12-week personal development programme with The Prince’s Trust, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and South Yorkshire Police, as well as the Barnsley Main Heritage Group. As part of the programme, the group came up with the idea of an educational resource centre for younger generations to teach them about the history of Hoyle Mill.
The idea was planned and fundraised by a cake and coffee car wash at Barnsley Fire Station and a 10K sponsored walk to Worsbrough Mill and back - raising more than £370.
This money was then used to buy specialist paint, brushes and other equipment needed for the project, completing the work in five days, including painting two containers for the resource centre, clearing away large nettle bed and removing weeds.
Rhian Oxley, who works at South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue to deliver the Princes Trust team programme in Barnsley, said the programme has been a big benefit to the ten participants - all of whom are unemployed and out of education, but want to do something positive.
“The aim is to develop the young people’s employability skills,” said Rhian.
“We work on confidence, communication, motivation, reliability, presentation skills, teamwork, leadership, job search skills and more. They have all applied or been referred by other agencies such as early help or homeless charities. It is a voluntary programme and they have all made the choice to do something positive with their lives.
“South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and South Yorkshire Police have been working with the Prince’s Trust for four years now, transforming the lives of more than 200 people within the South Yorkshire area. Within this time we have delivered ten community projects in the Barnsley area.”
