Four teams, professional gardeners and 50 or more adolescents joined in battle against the earthen elements in a large, consuming meadow situated in Islip Manor, Northolt. A large flaming fire burst and smoke diffused into the air, could this be an introduction to a disaster story? 

On the 27th September, NCS (National Citizen Service) with the Challenge, a programme designed to help teenagers develop skills for the future, induced this final last challenge to all the young adults from the boroughs of Ealing and Harrow. The challenge was to have a big tidy up, removing hedges, shrubs, trees and for that matter, any thing growing or spurting out from the ground.

Yes, young amateur teens were trusted into handling knives, saws and spades with the only protections of 'thin flimsy, battered gloves'. Many other tools were used which came in handy to gather; twigs, leaves, branches and litter that were all thrown into a pit of dancing flames of fire.

From nine o'clock in the morning till five o'clock in the evening, the mentors inspired the individual  teams to working hard, competing against the others, one chant amongst the kids was "carrying on is for the strong". This included only one lunch break, although everyone had a treat of marshmallows at the end of the challenge.

The last competition was to make the highest pile of plants, which had made the group, "Sabesan", to be crowned as winner. Jovin Mendes, from the winning team Sabesan, answered a questionnaire and agreed that the day was, "a good experience". A following team member, Ria Shah said, "It was good because we helped the community. I felt proud because we managed to complete the tasks they gave us" and that the whole team was, "committed to finish".  After reflecting on the day with mentors, members of the challenge were able to leave the sites and the community they aided in coaches. 

However, it does not merely end there as the challenge is programmed at many places in England. Other young adults who had signed up with the challenge based in the boroughs of Hounslow had completed the same challenge of gardening. There are many "waves", which is the jargon used for groups in the NCS scheme had cleaned  a large number of fields, parks and farms.Two girls, Anastasiya Kokhanchuk and Diana Fernandes stated that they "made a little difference to the community along with their peers". They had specifically helped Feltham Farm and Feltham allotments. 

As well as aiding the community, different waves managed to enjoy themselves along with an imagined stress filled amount of hours. Chanel Fernandes, who had completed the task on September 28th at Boston Manor Park, emphasised that "It was fun with the whole wave". Although some teenagers gave opposite opinions towards the activity. Natasha, who had helped in Hillingdon admitted that; "it was really boring". Another member, Diana; "wished it was more hands on". This questions the idea whether everyone had put a great amount of effort in these strenuous tasks, although maybe it wasn't the ideal Saturday or Sunday a teenager would like to spend. 

Furthermore, this was only one of the many activities NCS provides, making a difference to many local users of public or the contrary, private green spaces in England. It had seemed to have  a positive effect on the youth. Amongst many, a girl called Ivanna,  who was interviewed by myself at Boston Manor Park,  had said, "the works of NCS, which involved most of my friends, who had taken part in the project, helped make Boston a safer and more clean environment". She also suggested the benefits for pets which visit the park regularly. 

In retrospect, more than 4 teams, in each part of  England, had succeeded in effecting thousands of people, from the youth to the elderly, in this environmental project. A supreme success story for the adolescents and adults that took part during those two days. "It helps you build your skills for work and life, while you take on new challenges and meet new friends.It runs in the spring, summer and autumn. You’ll have a short time away from home and take part in a team project that will help your community. NCS brings together young people from different backgrounds and helps them develop greater confidence, self-awareness and responsibility. It encourages personal and social development by working on skills like leadership, teamwork and communication". This, the ethos, is found on the website.

By Daniella Kavanna, Gumley House Convent School