Bricklaying students from City College Brighton and Hove have gained practical experience helping to restore a 19th century stone wall at The Level, as part of the transformation of the park being carried out by Brighton & Hove City Council.
Fourteen young people from the college have rebuilt a section of the park’s original stone perimeter wall as part of their Diploma and NVQ courses. The wall is believed to date back to the late 1800s and the project has enabled the students to work with natural stone and use specialist craft skills.
The initiative is part of a programme of activities to involve the local community in the future of the park. Other community activities include a history project to record people's memories of the park and a new Communities of the Level Forum.
For the level 2 and 3 students the project is a great way of getting hands-on conservation experience in a busy city centre location, where their work will be seen for generations to come. They have spent three days working on the wall on the north east side of The Level, restoring and repointing damaged sections of the stonework.
Councillor Pete West, chair of Brighton & Hove City Council's Environment and Sustainability Committee, said: "The restoration of The Level is well underway and we are looking forward to the new-look park opening this summer.
"We are delighted students from City College have taken the opportunity to get involved and played their part in building for the park's future. They are gaining valuable practical conservation skills and will leave a lasting legacy of their time on site."
"Our bricklayers have really enjoyed working on this project”, said Nicola Sankey, City College’s Multi-Trades Team Leader. “Site experience such as this allows our learners to contextualise the learning they do in college and helps them to develop confidence and work based skills. In addition The Level has provided them with valuable new skills and knowledge through working with alternative materials."
Notes to editors: The Level
For more background about the restoration of The Level, the history of the park, and opportunities to get involved in community activities visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/thelevel
For an update on work to transform The Level, check out a Youtube video showing the new facilities.
Further information: Brighton & Hove City Council press office 01273 291035 or 293033
City College Brighton and Hove
For more information about bricklaying courses at City College, call on 01273 667759, email info@ccb.ac.uk or see www.ccb.ac.uk
For City College media enquiries, please call Brian Bell, Marketing Communications Officer, on 01273 667788 Ext. 488 or email bb1@ccb.ac.uk website www.ccb.ac.uk
About City College Brighton and Hove: Situated in the heart of Brighton and graded ‘Outstanding’ in key areas by Ofsted in its June 2011 report, City College Brighton and Hove is an international centre of vocational excellence and one of the top performing Further Education Colleges in the country. Every year, 2,000 full-time, 7,000 part time, 400 Higher Education and 400 14-16 year old students as well as many international and European students choose City College as their place of further and higher education training. In addition, the College provides training to over 2,000 businesses via its ‘City Business Skills’ department which focuses on employer training needs. Offering over 700 courses from basic level right through to business and postgraduate training, City College is working with its partners to develop the workforce of the future.