Our apprentice challenge transforms Worcester hospice

“It was like an edition of DIY SOS”, this was the response from June Patel, Chief Executive at St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester after our recent apprentice challenge.

Twenty five WPD apprentices and trainers spent four days transforming a garden area which resembled a building site on day one, into a tranquil space for patients to enjoy.

100 tonnes of top soil, hundreds of oak sleepers plus hundreds of plants had to be moved by hand into the inner courtyard of the hospice before work could begin to transform the area. Darren Berry, Training Engineer and Project Co-ordinator for WPD explains: “The challenge is an integral part of the apprentice training schedule and is designed to present a project which they would be unfamiliar with and is very different to their normal daily activities.

“Each challenge is unique and designed to meet the needs of the chosen charity we are working with.”

June added: “This is like a dream come true to have the garden project completed in just four days. The WPD team have been fantastic and created a calm space which will be a joy to our patients and their families to enjoy. The team also gave the children’s garden a much needed makeover. We thank them all for their hard work.”

Here is a snapshot of the tremendous efforts during four very hot days on site. 

Day one - A building site

The moving of materials, all by hand

Work on the transformation can now begin

A children's quiet garden area located away from the main building also gets a makeover

Day three - the top soil being tipped into one of the two larger flower beds

Day four - the structure is complete, now the planting begins

A view from above - an amazing transformation in just four days 

It's finished - well done to everyone!