STUDENT volunteers have done their bit for the community by refurbishing a cricket pavilion.

|Around 30 first year painting and decorating students from Accrington and Rossendale College helped transform Church and Oswaldtwistle Cricket Club over three days.

The work happened due to a friendship between staff at the club and college and helped fulfil the college’s plans to carry out voluntary work in the community each year.

Painting and decorating lecturer Simon Whitaker said: “Students always love it when they get the chance to get out of the classroom.

“We’ve made the home dressing room a bit more warm and welcoming, but everyone has done a great job on both, it’s really nice now.

“It’s a real life job and one that will stand the test of time for a number of years.

“We always try and do at least one community job a year, it’s just a great thing to do.”

Staff estimated the work would have cost more than £1,00’ to carry out without the help of the students.

A team of 10 pupils visited each day to carry out the work in the changing rooms and halls of the pavilion in Blackburn Road.

The work also incorporated the clubs home colours of green and black.

The changing room had been left without work for more than 20 years and staff at the club said the job done was ‘fantastic’.

Teachers at the college aimed to brighten up the changing rooms to make a ‘warm and welcoming environment’.

Lecturer Dan Pinder said: “It was in a gloomy state, it was a pretty uninspiring sort of place.

“Now we’ve painted it lots of bright colours and given some of the facilities a clean and some attention, it’s a lot more warm and welcoming now.

“It’s great for the students to get the experience and obviously the clubs gets the work carried out.”

Club secretary Andrew Bentley said: “The club would like to thank all the help it has received from Accrington and Rossendale College.

“They have done a fantastic job and have finished all the redecorating works to a great standard.

“In total over 30 students have been involved in this project this week and this gives some idea to the amount of work involved.”