Children from Southampton City Council’s flagship youth engagement programme, the Junior Neighbourhood Wardens gave up their time to help create a beautiful garden area for St Mary’s firefighters.

Funding for the fire station garden project was provided by the Travis Perkins Community Fund. New plant pots, flowers and a water feature were installed along with freshly treated wooden decking and parasol umbrellas for the picnic tables. The area will provide a welcome, relaxing space for firefighters between callouts.

The transformed garden was unveiled during the Building a Brighter Future for St Mary’s community activity day held at St Mary’s Fire Station, Southampton.

Building a Brighter Future for St Mary’s is an ambitious, long-term programme that aims to keep people and the community safe, protect people at risk from crime and increase opportunity for local people, fostering a strong sense of pride within the community.

At the Building a Brighter Future for St Mary’s community activity day, local residents joined representatives from the council, Hampshire Constabulary and community partners in a celebration of St Mary’s and continuing a pledge to deliver the ambitions of the programme.

Ian Mitchell, the Junior Neighbourhood Warden Co-ordinator at Southampton City Council said: “It was fantastic to see the kids pitch in and transform the fire station garden and give our city’s brave firefighters a place to relax. The Building a Brighter Future campaign promotes community togetherness and pride, along with giving residents access to opportunity. These are the same values that the Junior Wardens seek to instil in our cities young people.”

St Mary’s Fire Station Manager, Pete McClemont, said: “We are very grateful to the Junior Neighbourhood Wardens for the tremendous effort they have put in to making this space for our fire crews to enjoy. We are proud to have pledged our support to Building a Brighter Future and providing a safer, more secure future for residents of St Mary’s.”

Councillor Toqeer Kataria, Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety and Leisure at Southampton City Council said: “It is fantastic to see our Junior Neighbourhood Wardens making such a positive difference in their community. This project has not only created a welcoming space for firefighters at St Mary’s Fire Station, but has also shown the pride, teamwork and community spirit that Building a Brighter Future for St Mary’s is all about. Our young people should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved.”

The Junior Neighbourhood Wardens empower young people aged 7-12, providing them with the skills, knowledge and opportunities needed to thrive and provide positive contributions to their communities.

To sign your child up to become a Junior Neighbourhood Warden, visit the Southampton City Council website and search “junior wardens” in the search box.