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New fencing and a helping hand tidying the grounds has made all the difference to a team of volunteers caring for their local rugby club.

Without fencing, and with more than 400 young people regularly using the grounds, Bishop Auckland Rugby Club’s junior chairman, Dave Stewart, said: “It was taking a lot of time from our volunteers and staff to ensure we were suitable to train each day.”

A group of unemployed young people taking part in The Prince’s Trust Bishop Auckland Team programme stepped up, happy to lend a hand.

Offering to rebuild the fencing, the Team organised a sponsored walk from Guisborough Forest Visitors Centre to Roseberry Topping to help cover the cost of the project and a local timber yard, BTL Timber, generously helped out, donating the rest of the materials needed.

Team leader, Marc Iveson, explained: “This was a really big project that required a lot of physical and mental strength. We ended up putting in more than 60 fence posts by hand along with rebuilding the fence at the front.

“Despite raising £280, it didn’t cover all of the materials needed for the job. We couldn’t have completed it without BTL Timber and we are extremely grateful for their contribution.”

Despite the young people working in two days solid rain, the club’s junior chairman Dave said: “Each student turned up and gave their all and we are extremely grateful for all the hard work.”

The Prince’s Trust Team programme is a personal development course that helps young people aged 16 to 25 rediscover their direction and develop new skills by taking part in a series of tasks and challenges.

Marc explained: “The community project is a large element of the course, giving our young people the chance to see how they can make a positive impact in their own community.”

The team’s efforts in Bishop Auckland were commended by Councillor Katie Eliot, the Mayor of Bishop Auckland, who came along for the official hand over of the finished project.  She said: “The Prince’s Trust is a wonderful organisation and a major asset to our local area, this project will not only benefit the teams and people who use it but also the students who have completed it.”

Rachel Halladay, director at BTL Timber, said: “We were delighted to be given the chance to support the Prince’s Trust and Bishop Auckland Rugby Club, who both offer valuable and exciting opportunities for young people in our local area.”

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