Pembroke based Green Links Community Interest Company, who specialise in teaching vocational skills to young people, opened their doors during the recent half-term holiday to a group of youngsters from local primary schools.

The theme of the week, which was organised by project manager Jo Brookman, with funding from Pembrokeshire County Council's Community Focus Schools Grant, was environmental arts and crafts and outdoor games and activities.

Green Links are based at Pembroke School and, through their work with young people, are developing a range of projects, including opening up a nature trail through the woodland that is part of the school site.

By providing events for students from junior schools, Green Links hope to help with the transition to secondary school, providing opportunities for students from different junior schools to get to know each other. All but one of the young people who attended the half-term club is due to go to Pembroke School.

The main undertaking for the week for all those attending the half-term club was to build a bird box that they could take home and site in their own garden. With spring approaching, the bird boxes should provide welcome nesting opportunities for garden birds. However, some of the students donated their bird boxes to the project and these will now be sited in the woods at the school.

The bird boxes were constructed from wood which was milled on site with the new mobile saw mill that Green Links have recently purchased to enable them to offer sales of cut timber and firewood from local sustainable sources.

Other projects for the week included making bird feeders, kites and sculptures from recycled materials.

Taking full advantage of the dry and mild weather, there were plenty of opportunities to explore the woods and play outdoor games.

There was even time for a small party for a twin brother and sister who celebrated their 11th birthday during the half-term week.

For more information about future school holiday activities and all the other work and services provided by Green Links, check out the website http://www.greenlinks.org.uk">www.greenlinks.org.uk or email [email protected]">[email protected]