Prime Highlights:
- Northampton College students are restoring a 19th-century cottage into a community wellbeing hub, gaining hands-on experience in construction and heritage skills.
- The project gives students practical learning opportunities, helping them build confidence, improve employability, and prepare for future careers.
Key Facts:
- The cottage, part of Delapré Abbey grounds, has been abandoned for a decade and is being restored with £3 million from the Lottery Heritage Fund, with completion expected by April 2026.
- Students are learning trades including stonemasonry, carpentry, brickwork, plumbing, electrical work, and decorating, under guidance from industry professionals.
Background:
Northampton College students are restoring an old 19th-century cottage into a community wellbeing hub, gaining hands-on experience that could help their future careers.
The project is a partnership with Delapré Abbey, where the historic property, known as Gardener’s Cottage Number Two, has stood empty for a decade. The restoration is part of a wider £3 million initiative funded by the Lottery Heritage Fund to convert the cottage and nearby stables into a hub for community wellbeing, with completion expected by April 2026.
Takunda Magwaza, 20, a T-level student in design, surveying, and construction planning, called the project an excellent opportunity. He said it helps them understand their studies and the work involved. He hopes the experience will open doors to employment with the companies involved in the renovation.
Lola Carder, 19, also studying design and construction, said the hands-on work is helping reinforce classroom learning. She said the project helps strengthen what they learn in class and will be a great addition to her CV. She added that the project highlights the management side of construction as well as the practical skills.
Amanda Nicols-Polinska, deputy chief executive of the Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust (DAPT), emphasised the value of real-world experience. She said the cottage has been fully given to the college and its students, who are gaining practical skills, learning about heritage work, and feeling proud as they complete the project.
Students are gaining practical experience in stonemasonry, carpentry, brickwork, plumbing, electrical work, and decorating. Mark Bradshaw, head of construction at Northampton College, hopes all 600 students will take part or visit the project. He said the work helps students build skills, improve employability, and address future skill shortages.
