HELPING to create beautiful floral and felt displays as part of Civic Pride Rossendale’s Britain in Bloom entry, earned Aaron Kershaw a trip to the awards’ presentation.
The Haslingden High School Student has been attending The Zone in Rossendale for the last year and is a member of Rossendale Youth Council.
At the Old Fire Station, 11 members of The Zone worked with Civic Pride members to create amazing displays for the Royal Horticultural Society competition.
On October 29 he will be joining Civic Pride members at Bolton Football Club’s stadium for the awards’ presentation.
He said: “It is the 60th anniversary of Britain in Bloom and Civic Pride picked Friendship, Flowers and Felt as the theme.”
Young members of The Zone made felt yellow roses, to symbolise friendship, and also to celebrate Rossendale’s history with felt.
One girl made a banner with friendship on and they made felt bunting as well as planting the garden areas around The Zone.
Aaron said: “From April we were meeting once a week and then, when it got to June, we met twice a week to get everything ready for the judges.
“I have been going to The Zone for about a year and I initially went because my friends did and I needed something to do on a Friday, then I also started to get more involved and began also going on a Wednesday for the youth council.
“I am also a member of the Lancashire Youth Council and through that I got to go to the Houses of Parliament.
“I like the sense of community and working as a team and it has been a great experience working with Civic Pride and everyone came together, especially at the end when we were being judged. The judges could not stop talking about the work we had done.
“I also work with Child Action North West and I got invited to help create a training package on the inequalities young people face in accessing mental health services.
I have done multiple presentations and have been working with them for a few months.”
Aaron wants to become a primary school teacher and thoroughly enjoyed his work experience with Early Years children in a primary school.
He added: “After GCSEs, I am looking to do a T level in Early Years teaching qualification.”