By Andrew Clarke

Last updated 15:58, Wednesday, 09 July 2008

SIX GEN II apprentices have answered the prayers of St Mary’s parishioners by giving the gates and railings of the Kells church a facelift.

helping hands: Apprentices from GEN II at St Mary's Church

The group – Ryan Metcalf, Lee Amor, Warren Morton, Sam Maxwell, Chris Stainton and James Southward – are all completing the first year of their Electrical and Instrumentation apprenticeships.

Training organisation GEN II was asked by one of the St Mary’s parishioners if they could help carry out and pay for the facelift.

Keith Smith, the E&I instructor of the apprentices, said: “As the apprentices have completed their first year of training, it was an ideal time for them to get involved in one of our community projects.

“The apprentices have worked really hard and in bad weather conditions. I think they’ve enjoyed doing something for the community and, with the bad weather, it proved to be something of a challenge.”

Fr Aelred Grugan, priest at St Mary’s, said: “The parishioners and myself are very grateful to the apprentices of GEN II for cleaning up and repairing the railings and gates around the church.

“Over the years, they have gradually deteriorated into a very poor condition and we didn’t have sufficient funds to have them replaced, so this has been a very helpful and welcome piece of work.”