A WorldSkills project which challenged three College of West Anglia (CWA) students, from the Wisbech campus, to develop a sustainable product has now helped raise money for a local hedgehog rescue.
Construction Skills students Finn McAuley, Marc Watson and Erikas Rimkus came up with the idea of creating hedgehog houses from recycled materials, including old pallets and discarded plastic bottles, as part of their WorldSkills 2026 entry briefing.
The project saw the students combine their practical construction skills with creativity and sustainability, designing a product that could support local wildlife while raising awareness and funds for Ryston Rachel’s Hedgehog Hotel.
Following their fundraising efforts, the group recently presented £294 to volunteer, Tracy Knight, bringing their WorldSkills project full circle and turning an idea developed through the competition into tangible support for a local organisation.
Tracy said, “We’ve had 427 hedgehogs come through the rescue this year. The houses that the boys make are going out as fast as they come in. The hedgehog houses have been so popular because the quality is fantastic. The amount that Finn, Marc and Erikas have raised is amazing. But it’s not just the
money, they’ve also helped raise awareness of our charity and the importance of protecting our local hedgehog population.”
For Finn, Marc and Erikas, the project has provided an opportunity to take the skills they developed through WorldSkills beyond the competition itself, working together to turn an initial idea into something that could have a positive impact in their local community.
Jamie Baker, Construction Skills Lecturer at the College of West Anglia said, “I’m incredibly proud of Finn, Marc and Erikas and how they’ve turned a WorldSkills idea into something that is making a real difference. Good carpenters aren’t judged by what they make, but by how they problem-solve, and these students have shown that throughout the project. It’s fantastic to see their practical skills, creativity and hard work result in support for such a worthwhile local cause.”
The project has also given the students experience of working as a team, developing a product and considering how their practical skills can be used to address a real-world need. Rachel Boast, Assistant Principal, Student Services said, “A huge amount of thanks has to go to the tutors and staff who give up their own time to support opportunities like this. Without that commitment, young people wouldn’t have the chance to take part in competitions such as WorldSkills, develop their skills and then use those skills to make a difference in their local community. Finn, Marc and Erikas have worked incredibly hard on this project, and it’s been fantastic to see how far their original idea has
come.”
The students’ hedgehog houses are an example of how competitions such as WorldSkills can give learners the opportunity to apply their technical skills creatively, while developing confidence and experience that can be taken into their future careers