A group of Sailors from Devonport Naval Base have been out helping a community in Plymouth clear up a former school site for local children and families to enjoy.
Situated a mile and half from Plymouth’s Naval Base, the redundant Barne Barton Secondary School site was where service families sent their children. Now demolished and the land used for housing, the green playing fields and football pitches have been retained for the community, but over the years some areas are in need a little bit of TLC.
“There was once a vast Married Quarters here and the school site was a focus for that community,”
said Pat Patel, a former sailor himself who runs the Tamar View Community Centre nearby.
“It’s become a dumping ground for all sorts of waste. The Navy guys have found old toys, Christmas trees, a multitude of general household waste and even a paddling pool, as well as piles of litter.”
The Devonport team set about bagging up the waste and cutting back the overgrown fences and pathways around the fields that had become impassable for the estate’s residents.
“This has been a great project to be involved with,”
said Probationary Leading Hand Cameron Stewart, who’s idea it was to contact Pat from the Community centre.
“I’m not from around here, but having joined the Royal Navy it’s really good to help the community you are living amongst. The Navy has a large foot print here in Plymouth, everyone we speak to on the Estate has some connection with Devonport, you can’t escape it. Its good seeing the Royal Navy taking a lead.”
Throughout Plymouth and Devonport, groups are really getting behind the various clear-up campaigns. El one of the founders from ‘Clean our Patch’ also came along to the Barne Barton estate initiative and thanked the Royal Navy for their dedicated efforts.
“We have 19 groups across the City and have cleared over 65 tons of waste since March last year. It’s really amazing that the Royal Navy have come out today to help us clean up this site, all across Plymouth we are seeing some great results, they’ve made a Mammoth tasks seem not so Mammoth.
“It’s pretty awesome really to be part of this huge movement that is really making a difference and leading the way to a cleaner and nicer environment.”
