Students from the College of West Anglia’s Wisbech campus have been redecorating and helping to maintain the building and the grounds of Orchard House Care Home.

The care home is based in Wisbech and is home to residents with a wide range of care needs. Administrator, Kayleigh Rudland, contacted the college with possible voluntary work to enrich the lives and surroundings of the residents who live there.

Ten students from both construction and painting and decorating courses have been working voluntarily at the property. Jobs have included redecorating rooms and door frames and maintaining the grounds through gardening and other odd jobs. Maintenance Engineer, John Chapman, has been giving students guidance with their work and helping to improve their experiences. 

The students have been working at the care home since the beginning of December Mondays and Thursday and are each aiming to complete 60 hours work experience as part of their programmes of study over the coming weeks.

Care Home Manager at Orchard House, Maxine Bain, said: “The students displayed great enthusiasm, kindness and passion towards the residents. They worked tremendously as a team to transform the resident’s rooms and communal areas.”

Level 2 painting & decorating student, Kyran Godfrey, said: “This helps us towards our future career because we can experience what work will be like in the future.”

CWA Work Placement and Careers Co-ordinator, Guy Bridge, said:

“The students are really enjoying their time at Orchard House and that this has been fantastic opportunity for students to show how they are able to support residents in the local community and to demonstrate their practical skills in such a positive and meaningful way. The location of the care home, right outside the college entrance, has meant that the opportunity has been open to students who might otherwise have found travel arrangements prohibitive. We hope to continue developing the relationship with Orchard House and look forward to more opportunities for student work experience, in the future.”

CWA Students who have undertaken work experience at the site include; Spencer Beech, Jay-D Hagger, Konnor Lee, Chloe Ray, Kyran Godfrey, Dan Haynes, Luke Purse, Sam Robinson, Leam Gibbons, Lucas Vuksanovic. CWA level three health and social care student Amy Drew is also completing work experience at Orchard House.