A lick of paint makes a lot of difference
From Councillor Graham Craig, Cabinet Member for Community Services on 09 August 2010
A team of nine painting and decorating students have earned their colours after helping Solihull Council rid all the borough’s cable boxes of graffiti.
The NVQ level 2 students from Solihull College – who are all looking to start their own businesses once they complete their courses - also helped the Council on a number of different painting jobs over a three-month project.
The students were split into two groups – one working with Environmental Health to deal with the graffiti, the other helping the Environment Champions with the other painting jobs.
Over the course of their time spent with the Council, the graffiti team dealt with more than 70 complaints, which resulted in all of the borough’s cable boxes being cleared of graffiti and tags.
The students working with the Champions got to build their skills on a range of different jobs such as painting benches and bins in Malvern and Brueton Parks, giving the raised planters in Knowle High Street a fresh coat and redecorating the changing rooms at Barn Lane recreation ground.
Councillor Graham Craig, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “This group of students have done a great job around the borough and I hope the new skills they have picked up will serve them well in the future. The work they have done has made a real difference to the borough, as well as helping our partners in the police and the neighbourhood management, parks and car parks teams – thank you very much!”
The Environment Champions regularly run volunteer projects around the borough, ranging from painting jobs to clearing ponds. For more information, email environmentchampions@solihull.gov.uk or phone 0121 704 6534.
For media enquiries only, please contact Dave Musson on 0121 704 6136
Email: dmusson@solihull.gov.uk