KIND-HEARTED youngsters prepared for a trip to India by helping to clear a churchyard.
The pupils of Castle Hall School in Mirfield took part in a gardening session to learn practical skills they will use in India.
And in the process, they helped to unearth some gravestones that have been hidden away from sight for years.
The team consisted of Castle Hall pupils, former Mirfield Free Grammar pupils and Greenhead College students from Dewsbury and Mirfield.
In October they will fly to India where they will create a sensory garden for blind and visually impaired children.
Last Monday they gathered at St Mary’s Parish Church in Mirfield to learn practical skills which will help during their time in India.
Deanne Lord, from Castle Hall School, said: “We actually managed to clear a very worn down and sorry area and in the process unearthed some beautiful flat gravestones that had been hidden for some time.
“It was all very Time Team and Indiana Jones, but the team loved it.
“The work was incredibly physical and luckily the rain stayed off in the evening.“It was felt that the youth team could gain a valuable insight into the physical demands that would be asked of them before they got out to India.
“It was also a chance for the team to bond, learn how to delegate and problem-solve, all of which will be invaluable once we begin on the sensory garden.”
They will help to build the garden at the Manav Kalyan Trust in Sapatura in India. Their work will benefit visually-impaired children in the region and means other volunteers can add to the garden for years to come.
During the months leading up to the trip the pupils will be holding fundraising events, including a non-uniform day, a Summer Ball and a barbecue at Mirfield Community Centre on June 6, the Mirfield Boundaries Walk on June 28, bag-packing at Mirfield Co-op and a summer ball at Castle Hall on the July 11.
Pupils hope they can also attract local companies to sponsor them.
