Bronze for Dig This

A community work sentence turned Aaron Wills’ life around. It involved putting his skills as a welder to use in Lyttleton Community Garden’s entry for the Ellerslie Flower Show.

“We like to use low risk offenders in their own community so they can make reparation where it counts, get involved in something positive and start turning a new leaf,” says Senior Community Work Supervisor Lesley Bell.

Around November last year Lesley knew that Project Lyttleton was looking for a welder to help the Lyttleton Community Garden with their entry for the Ellerslie Flower Show.

Lesley says, “They were really keen to take him on board. And it turned out really well. He worked very hard to do all the iron work in their entry. And we were all enormously pleased to hear that this entry called Dig This won bronze. This was an enormous achievement.

“Aaron put more hours into this project than he needed to and as far as changing his life around it certainly did. Aaron is definitely more positive and he has a brighter outlook on life than when I first met him. He is still doing voluntary work there and bringing all kinds of tradesmen in contact with the community garden.”

Aaron says he is very grateful to have been involved in this project. “It has been amazing to experience so much goodwill and camaraderie. I didn’t realise people did this kind of thing for gardens: making all the garden features and timberwork.”