A chance to follow TV star’s footsteps

Apr 1 2009 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette

A £1 MILLION fund to recruit a new generation of green-fingered apprentices to keep England’s parks and green spaces growing has been announced by Housing Minister Margaret Beckett.

Local councils will invite budding horticulturalists of all ages to apply for a traineeship scheme that will offer them the opportunity to improve their green skills and make sure our towns and cities’ green spaces stay green.

In the North-east, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Newcastle, South Tyneside, Sunderland and Gateshead councils, will be looking for people who can prove their gardening prowess and follow in the footsteps of one former green apprentice, Alan Titchmarsh.

As a youngster, Alan was given the chance to train as a green apprentice by Ilkley Council in his native Yorkshire.

His apprenticeship gave him the opportunity to get involved in an area he was already interested in but also proved a stepping-stone to a star-studded career in horticulture.

Margaret Beckett announced the new funding in a speech to leading experts in the green space sector as well as planners, developers and health officials in London.

Mrs Beckett said: “These new apprentices will be green ambassadors in their communities, taking responsibility for our parks and open spaces and making sure they are of the highest quality for everyone to enjoy.

“Green spaces and green infrastructure should not be an added luxury.

“If we really are to tackle climate change, protect both our environment and our health, green spaces need to be at the heart of our communities.

“We will work closely with planners, developers and experts in the green sector to ensure we have the skills and resources we need to make this happen.”

Adding his support for the scheme, Alan Titchmarsh said: “The practical skills provided by apprenticeships are every bit as important as university degrees, especially those involved with the landscape and environment.

“As a former apprentice myself, I value apprenticeships tremendously and am relieved and delighted that this initiative is underway.”

With the public health, environmental and social benefits of green spaces widely recognised, the new funding comes as part of the Government’s drive for more top quality green spaces through programmes such as the Green Flag Scheme, as well as putting the green agenda at the centre of the country’s planning policy and housing growth.