COLEG Cambria students are renovating a dilapidated community centre while a new £4 million adult day care facility is being built.

Construction trainees have been busy painting fences and benches, plastering walls, tidying the gardens and carrying out maintenance duties at Glanrafon Adult Day Care Centre in Queensferry.

Up to 50 people use the complex every day, but it is in a state of disrepair and will close next summer to be replaced by a modern single-storey facility nearby.

Wirral-based Kier, a leading infrastructure services, buildings and developments and housing group, is building the new centre – to be called Hwb Cyfle – and joined the students in improving the current site while visitors wait for it to be completed.

Sheryl Moore, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) manager for Kier in North West, praised the Cambria cohort for their support.

She said: ''We have worked with Coleg Cambria for many years on numerous projects and always try to give back to the local community.

''That could be through charity, traineeships, work placements or jobs, helping the students to sharpen their construction skills and gain valuable experience.

''They have been a huge help in bringing this centre back to life and I’m sure will be joining us for traineeships on-site at the new development, which will be a natural progression for them.''

As part of the college’s Traineeship Construction Academy, students have been developing their basic building skills on a series of projects across the region – including improvements to the clubhouse and grounds at Ruthin Football Club – prior to work experience in February with prospective employers in the region.

Samantha Moore, employability mentor at Coleg Cambria, said industry collaboration works in many positive ways and is attracting young people to apply for courses at Deeside and Wrexham.

She said: ''This is one of several partnerships we have with housing developers and construction companies.''

“These can lead to work placements and even jobs with some of the leading companies in this sector, as well as supporting the community, as we are here today.''