Students from schools across Dover who’re studying construction with K College at the Dover Skills Centre have mended 25 steps on the North Downs Way at Drop Redoubt on the Western Heights.

They worked for two days with their tutor, Nik Weakley, to repair the steps that are essential for people to access the countryside from Dover town centre.

Paul Sampson of the White Cliffs Countryside project said: ‘The weather wasn’t brilliant but their enthusiasm was great. They had total respect for what we are doing. These old timber steps and their supports were rotting. They had to dig out pieces of timber 1.2 metres long, take the soil out around it, make sure it was level and there were no trip hazards.

‘What they were doing will help them to understand more about the countryside, the management of these structures, dealing with animals because we have cattle grazing the land, and working on a steep slope. It was learning in an outdoor experience and they were cheerful, keen to do the work, and worked well together as a team.’

















Celine McGeown, Centre Co-ordinator of the Dover Skills Centre said the two day work was part of a collaboration between K College, KCC and the White Cliffs Project, and hoped they would all work together again in future.

She said: ‘They faced rain and hail on the first day but it didn’t dent their enthusiasm, and was a good introduction for them going into the construction industry. One of their mum’s told me “he came home tired and covered in dirt and said mum, you have never had to work hard like this in your life!” But he came back smiling the next day. This was a fantastic opportunity to get them involved in a community project where they could use the skills they have learned over the past year.’

Students who took part were Cody Halford, St Edmunds School, Dover, Callum Brayne, Joe Michael, Billy Wheeler, George Lansdown, Harry Tregunno and Elliott Barlow from Deal’s Castle Community School and Tyler Lee from Astor School of Performing Arts.