Brownhill Learning Community taught the importance of giving back

Date published: 12 March 2019

Students from Brownhill Learning Community invited their parents, school staff, governors and representatives from local authorities to a community event at Hebron Church on Monday (11 March 2019).

Comprising of Brownhill School and Rochdale Pupil Referral Service, Brownhill Learning Community on Heights Lane, Rochdale, organised a six-week course at Hebron Church, Falinge Road, with funding from the Eden Project to show students the importance of giving back to their local community.

Starting in January 2019, the students engaged in different art activities over six weeks, led by community artist for Rochdale Council, Joanne Phillips, to produce items to give back to the local community and groups based at Hebron Church.

Items such as plant pots for the elderly group who gather at Hebron regularly and jigsaws for the toddler group were handed out, as well as mugs displaying positive quotes for the breakfast club organised once a week for the homeless in the community.

Miniature dustbins based on ‘Oscar the Grouch’ from Sesame Street were also presented to a local recycling officer to show the pupils appreciation for Rochdale’s Environment Agency.

The students also created items for themselves including clocks for their bedroom walls and t-shirts with their own designs, so they could learn how to show love to themselves as well as others around them.

Jackie Robinson, Community Development Officer at Brownhill, said: “We are so proud of our students for recognising and giving back to their community.

“This course was about learning the consequences of actions and turning negatives into positives.

“The students have worked absolutely amazingly and wanted to showcase their work and say a big thank you to the Eden project for giving them a chance.”

Presenting the pupils with certificates for their achievements over the course, Mayor of Rochdale, Mohammed Zaman, said: “I’m incredibly impressed by all of the work, imagination and creativity of the pupils. I particularly like the mugs with inspirational quotes such as ‘dream big’, ‘never give up’ and ‘believe in yourself’.

“More than anything, this course was about bringing people together for the better and saying, ‘let’s work to build a better community’.

“I am really proud of all the children involved. A small community has delivered a big project.”

James Moss, the Falinge Eden team leader who funded the six-week course through the Eden Project, said: “It has been really enjoyable to help these children see ways in which they can help other people in the community.

“I have loved teaching them how to provide love and care, and the ways in which they can show love and care to others.”

Brownhill Learning Community has three sites across the Rochdale borough, providing educational provision for pupils who cannot attend mainstream schools because of behavioural or emotional difficulties.