Project notes

What is it: Savage Garden, an environmental project in Wales that involved the construction of a garden and copper sculptures.Goal: To create an environmentally friendly community garden, which in turn improves the skills of the young people on the project.Funding: Provided via The Princes Trust Cymru Discovering Wales programme, Powys County Council Youth Service, Rhayader 2000, Rhayader Town Council (Bryntitli Trust), the Adfywio Rural Recovery for Tourism Fund and Challenge Cymru.A copper shark may not be the most conventional garden ornament, but ditching the gnome was the first of many liberating experiences for a group of young people in Wales last year. Playing on the pop group of the same name, the Savage Garden project brought residents of the Welsh town of Rhayader together to grow and cultivate their own community garden. But it was developed further when a group of 16 young people from the Powys Youth Service were given the task of taking it to the BBCs Gardeners World Live show at Birminghams National Exhibition Centre in June last year. It gave them experience in management and communication with visitors over a two-day period, and further work was needed when the garden had to be re-erected at a permanent site in Rhayader. The scheme has since won one of 10 Youth Work in Wales Excellence Awards, which was presented to the group by Jane Davidson, minister for education and lifelong learning at the Welsh Assembly government body.Paul Rowe, youth link worker at Powys County Council, says the scheme gave the team a chance to gain skills in a rural area where there are limited opportunities for such practical experience. I feel the young people have engendered a sense of community responsibility, says Rowe. Theyve acquired experience in a creative project, resource management and promotional and presentation skills. The project highlights the benefits of a healthy mind, healthy body and an overall sense that We did that!