Sunderland - Young Carers Flowerpot Gang

-Welcome to The Flowerpot Gang!

-Where you, the British public, ask Phil, garden designer Joe Swift and me

to transform neglected plots of land into life-changing spaces.

I can guarantee you plenty of blood, sweat and lots of mud.

Hopefully some tears of joy too.

We'll be travelling across the country

on a mission to rescue your unloved green spaces...

So, boys, are we ready for business?

THEY LAUGH

..but won't be doing it on our own.

You, the great British public, will be helping us.

Don't drop the log!

This is going to be quite a journey.

PHIL LAUGHS

Our award-winning garden guru Joe is in charge of the transformation.

Green light coming this way. One, two, three.

Anneka will go out and about to get you to join our gang.

-What's your name?

-David.

-David, you're on our team.

-How many do you need, I think is the question.

-A dozen?

And Phil is going to be giving it his all...

Still got it. Used to play for England, you know?

..as well as learning what it takes to become a gardener...

Cor blimey, this is hard work!

..but is he tough enough?

-It needs a man on the job!

-It does.

Is there a man anywhere?

This week we've had a call for help from here in the city of Sunderland.

There's a little girl here, ten-year-old Hannah,

who, along with many other children, is missing out on the joys

and the carefree fun of being a child.

Now, Hannah's not your typical little girl.

She spends a lot of her time looking after her mum, Lynne,

who suffers from arthritis.

As well as her sister, Rachel, who is autistic.

And this means Hannah doesn't get to be a proper kid much

and muck about with her mates, and that's sad.

I do think that my family set up is different to most kids

but I would never change it.

Just because I've got a different family

doesn't mean I would change it for anything.

I love them too much to do that.

Hannah gets support from Sunderland Young Carers

who help lots of kids and young people

who are sacrificing their childhood to look after their loved ones.

But one thing that could help these young carers make the most

out of their precious time at the centre is access to an outdoor space.

Not just bland parkland but a garden with real kids appeal.

What the garden will do for me? Everything.

It will give us, me a place to go to relax...

to do whatever I want...

to feel like a kid again and not a grown-up!

'And that's where we come in...'

-Right there?

-Perfect!

-Perfect!

..we've got just ten days to transform an unused area

into a wonderland for youngsters.

Haven't got time to stop. We're up against it.

There's no chance that we're going to finish this project.

Look at that! Look at that! You got one little bit like that!

But things don't always go to plan.

If those volunteers don't turn up soon we are going to be in trouble.

We need a helping hand to bring some childhood fun

back into these kids' lives.

Well, we can't make this happen for Hannah and the other young carers

without LOADS of volunteers and that's where you come in.

Last week we asked for your help here in Sunderland.

We asked you to come and join The Flowerpot Gang, get your hands dirty

and you can see how we all got on later in the programme.

Hello there, and welcome to Sunderland Carers' Centre

on a very rainy day.

Now, this garden might look OK

but if you're a young kid who is desperate to find somewhere to play

or hang out it's next to useless.

But together, with friends and family from this centre...

-ALL:

-Yay!

We're going to create a garden here for the people who need it most.

That's this very special group of youngsters behind me -

they are Sunderland's young carers.

Now, it's going to be tough but with help from this lot.

We're going to transform this bland space into a truly unique,

beautiful and exciting haven.

Were these kids get the chance to be kids again.

Being a young carer is really tough.

On the surface Hannah looks like any other ten-year-old

but the constant emotional strain of worrying about her mum and her sister

casts a shadow over her life.

'Emotionally it is difficult.'

When I were wee I tended to worry in case, like, something,

in case, like, one of them falls down their own feet,

or down the stairs, or something, and gets hurt. I'm not there.

So, I do tend to worry. Even when I shouldn't be.

Hannah's, kind of, like, a bit like a little glue stick.

She, kind of, puts little sticky plasters on everywhere.

She's a naturally caring child who cares for her sister,

who cares for her mum.

Sometimes little Hannah...doesn't get a break from any of that.

I have to do my responsibilities.

Like...with me sister I've got loads.

With me mam, I've got loads.

It feels like you're just getting loads on you.

Sue, who works at the centre,

knows what these youngsters are going through.

Hannah is typical of a young carer.

In the sense of she picks up on all the worry that mum or dad would have

and then she worries about that.

She's very protective of her sibling because she knows she's different.

There is a massive impact on Hannah.

The Centre supports young carers from the age of four to 25.

Becky's been a carer almost all her life and looks after her mum,

Lynne, who has MS and her sister, Nicola, who has cerebral palsy.

Sit.

'I started being a young carer when I was about two

'and that was, basically, just helping my mum'

and my dad around the house with Nicola.

Like, fetching nappies and just being a younger sister, really.

And, obviously, now I realise why Nicola needed extra help.

When I was about 11, 12 my mum got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis

and then ever since then I've cared for both of them.

And as the years have gone on I've took on more and more responsibility

so when me mam couldn't no longer, like, bath Nicola

and help her get ready, then I, kind of, took over that role.

And then, when I was 18, I became the sole carer for both of them.

LYNNE WHIMPERS

'There has been tough times.

'Like, really hard times where I just think,'

"Oh, I don't want to do this any more,"

but...I do it because I love them.

Because they're my mam and my sister, and...it's...

People, it's so easy just to walk away but, actually, it's not.

All those years of caring means Becky really understands

how tough things can get for Hannah.

Young carers might feel quite alone because their friends are at school

and they're having a good time, and they just want to go out.

Going to young carers, we all understand each other

because we've all got the same situation at home.

These youngsters not only deserve

but really need a break from all this hard work.

That's why we're going to turn this bland space into not one

but two lovely life-changing gardens.

A fun filled play area for the young kids, like Hannah,

and an outdoor chill out space for Becky and the teenagers.

This ain't just a garden,

it's a little escape from the tough every day.

I do think the garden will get rid of everything -

all the stress, or the anger.

Everything, and you can just be yourself.

Two gardens in one space, that's a tricky one

but luckily Joe Swift, our green-fingered guru,

has got a cunning plan.

I spent a load of my childhood

running around outdoors with my mates without a care in the world.

Now, this design has got to deliver.

It's for Hannah, and the other young carers,

to get a sense of childhood fun back into their lives.

Something they might have lost

through caring for some of their family.

# Today I don't feel like doing anything... #

Swifty likes to crack the whip

so I find it best to put your feet up for a while when you can.

-Oh, this is it, isn't it, Phil?

-Beautiful weather, isn't it?

-What are you to doing?!

-Oh, he is!

-What is this?

-Here he is!

We didn't know where you were, Joe.

-Lying around!

-How are you going?

-I'm doing all right.

-I've just been tweaking the plan.

-Let's have a look!

-Yeah?

-You've got to get up!

-All right, come on.

-You all right?

-Yeah.

After you, my dear.

-Right, this is the plan.

-What are we got?

-There you go.

We've got, well, at the moment it's one big open green space.

-OK.

-What's all this? This looks good fun.

Right, OK, this is for the grown-up kids.

You know, the teenagers and above.

So, there's, like, a barbecue area over here.

A fire pit, erm, there's a real den feel.

Exactly what I would have wanted if I was that age.

Joe's plan is to split the space in two.

For the kids we're going to create a magical wood

with a huge oak climbing frame

and a sandpit in the shape of a heart -

a theme for all our gardens.

-The sandpit's going in roughly around here.

-Oh, it's a sandpit!

Sandpit but with big boulders on the outside.

Beyond the sandpit we've got massive mushroom seats

and bonkers Perspex flowers.

-Over here, more Willy Wonka-esque. Again, for the little ones.

-OK.

A sort of Willy Wonka world.

You know, a little bit surreal and everything oversize

-and all a little bit mad.

-OK.

And my favourite bit of this Hobbity garden?

A mini hill with two tunnels to clamber around.

For the teenagers, Joe's plan is to build an outdoor den.

Arches lead into a chill out zone around a fire pit.

There's even a barbecue. It's all very Ibiza.

There's a rope swing to, literally, hang out on

and hammocks for that summer vibe.

-We've got to just imagine that we are all kids again.

-Yes!

-You know.

-Easy! So easy to do!

-We could do that!

-Anneka, can you do that?

-I could do that.

-We're all kids again!

-I'm there! You're on fire!

Anyway, that's the plan.

The Hobbit meets Alice in Sunderland play area for the kids

and a hip hangout for the teens.

So, Hannah, this is the very exciting part, now,

cos we are going to create a magical garden

for you and your friends to play in

-but you are not allowed to see it until it's finished.

-Oh!

-I know, no peeking at all!

-Grr!

How are you going to manage, for ten days, not to peek?

-Get my sister to lock me in her room.

-Would she do that?

I shall ask your sister to lock you, you can come out occasionally

cos I want you to come out and occasionally help me

-with some projects.

-OK.

So, I'm going to take you away, now. Have a last look.

Bland, boring old bit of grass.

When you come back, hopefully, a big surprise! Off we go.

It's exciting, isn't it?

I've also slapped a no peeking order on care worker Sue.

We want it to be a surprise for her too.

Right, day one. The team arrive ready for action.

But, no, there's a hitch.

Swifty spots a tree that will have to come down before we start the real work.

-Beautiful tree. Shame it has to go.

-Yeah. There is a bit of growth up the top, though,

but that's gone, has it?

Well, most of it's dead. It's got to come out, honestly.

'It may look OK, but in a bit of a wind,

'this brittle dead wood could snap off and really hurt someone.

'It needs chopping down but will set us back at least half a day.'

-Now's the time to do it before we start the construction.

-OK.

'Much as I fancy wielding a chainsaw myself, this is a job for the pros.'

'Felling a 50-foot tree is not only a major operation,

'it's a dangerous one too.'

-Quite a big lump came down. Are we in the right place?

-We're all right.

TIMBER!

-Yeah, lovely bit of wood.

-Yeah, lovely.

It hasn't half made a mess though. There's loads of it.

-That's what we've got to do. Clear it all up.

-Let's do it.

-Yeah.

-Let's go. Let's crack on.

-Tuffers.

-Yeah.

-Haven't you forgotten something?

-Gloves. Where's my gloves?

'Tuffers is worried about hurting his spin bowler's hands.'

'Hang on, didn't he retire nearly ten years ago?'

-The gloves.

-The paws will now be protected.

Oh, fantastic. I feel I could do anything with these gloves on.

Come on, let's get on with it.

-Look at that. You've got one little bit.

-I'm coming back for some more.

We're going to get the chipper.

-Chuck them here.

-Chuck them there?

-And we'll get the chipper in.

I can't rely on Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dumber

to do all the grafting.

We need help if we're going to get this garden done.

Time to hit the streets of Sunderland.

Joan's project is really quite ambitious.

There's a lot of, sort of, complicated construction to do,

so we're heading out to see if we can find some people to come

and help us over the next few days but we specifically need joiners

and apparently there's a college where there's a construction course,

so we thought we'd start there.

Oh, look! Oh, bliss! Hello.

'Wow, I've hit the jackpot here.'

-Who are you?

-I'm Martin.

-Hello, guys.

Look at this. We need your men.

What we need your team to come and help us with

is actually laying decking.

-Right.

-Will they be able to do that?

-Yes, yes. The lads are very...

It could be like their weekend homework.

Yes, they'd really enjoy that.

So how many altogether do you think you could manage?

-How many do you need is the question.

-A dozen?

-Yeah, yeah.

That was a bumper harvest. Absolutely fantastic.

We've got joiners coming, painters, decorators. Hello, there.

Couldn't be better. I'm really pleased.

Back in the garden, it's pretty clear these wood chippings aren't going to shift themselves.

Luckily, reinforcements arrive

in the shape of Becky's gang of young carers.

Happy days. Here we go.

Let's get this garden started, team.

Well done, mate.

'Since the age of four, young carer, Jordan,

'has helped look after his disabled brother, Craig.'

What do you think about the garden then, mate?

-I can't wait for it to be finished, see how good it'll be.

-Yeah?

-Give us a place to go now and then.

-Yeah?

What do you think's going to be in it? What would you like in it?

-Somewhere we could go and relax. Barbecue perhaps?

-Yeah, yeah.

Somewhere to just chill.

Somewhere to meet up that's nice, that's not just a basic park.

-Somewhere that's got a bit more colour and life to it.

-Great.

-Well, hopefully, that's what's going to happen.

-Hope so.

-Oh, Becky!

-Hi.

-What time do you call this?

'Becky rocks up, gang leader of the teen carers

'and a role-model for the youngsters.'

-So, Becky.

-Yeah.

-Come on, we need to put these logs over there.

What's life like as a young carer?

It can be hard but I just get on with it really.

-I've done it for so long now. I just kind of get on with it.

-Yeah.

'I'm amazed how these young carers cope.

'Becky really believes in this project

'and wants to help in any way she can.'

I think it will be really important, not just to our group, but all

the young carers as well because we deserve something like this.

-It's nice to have our own space that we can call ours.

-Yeah.

Well, we'd better get these logs shifted.

-We're not getting any work done.

-We ain't getting any work done.

This is a big job, so to help the volunteers and us out,

we've roped in some pros.

Driving the digger is Colin. Then there's Joe's right-hand man, Ned.

And our resident pessimist, project manager, Rich.

Just cos you can draw it don't mean it can always be built.

Such a little ray of sunshine,

but there's a real problem with the final bits of the cherry tree.

-So we need to roll them down there?

-Down there.

-Shall we have a race?

-I like a challenge.

-Lovely.

-Bring it on.

OK, this is my one. It's nice and round.

To get all the logs moved in one go, Phil calls in the teens.

Joe's going for gold.

I believe, I believe.

On your marks.

Get set.

Go!

Come on! What you doing over here?

Tuffers, no, that's cheating.

That is cheating.

Are you there? I think you might have won it over there.

The winner is...

I think it's the man here.

The winner!

Tuffers, what's all that about? That's blatant cheating.

Picking up the log and running with it.

-There's no Olympic sport...

-There's nothing in the rules.

There's no Olympic sport called log running. It's called log rolling.

There's nothing in the rules to say you can't pick up your log

and run with it.

No, that's not true. You haven't read the rules properly, see.

Typical from you. Anyway, you still came last.

With the remnants of the cherry tree at last gone,

we can get cracking on the hobbit hill and its tunnels.

Now, like Rich said, it may look easy on paper,

but building it is a whole other thing.

Two massive concrete tubes covered with tonnes of earth,

it's really tricky.

We have to create a route through so the water can drain through.

I think we should sink them.

-If you sink them, they'll just fill with water.

-No, they won't.

-Yes, they will.

-Listen to the expert.

It's going to be pitchforks at dawn over these tunnels.

Right, there you go.

Yeah, lovely. It's good.

Imagine you're a kid scrambling through and you go back

and scramble through and then you go up over the top of them.

-I'm just imagining where we could lose a designer.

-Yeah.

I think we're a bit heavy on landscapers on this site.

The felling of the cherry tree put us behind and we work into the evening

shifting tonnes of earth trying to catch up on the groundwork, but

it's clear at the end of our first day that time may not be on our side.

It's early morning on day two and Anneka's on the hunt.

Now, more than ever, we need more volunteers.

What we really need is some very strong guys

because we're going to have a lot of lifting and digging

and really some quite heavy, sweaty toil jobs.

But I think the sea's over there. Let's have a look on the beach.

Ooh!

Lifeguards.

But there's no-one here.

We've found some lifeguards.

We've been hilariously going up and down the beach. Who are you?

-I'm Andy.

-And I'm Sam.

-Oh, Andy and Sam, we need you so much.

We've been trawling Sunderland

and we haven't seen any fit young people

and then we were driving along the beach and we saw you

and it was just like a mirage in the distance.

Would you be able to help?

-Yeah.

-Definitely happy to help.

It's a really lovely project and it will be hard work

but probably nothing as strenuous as

being out in that sea in all temperatures.

Very nice to talk to you. Bye.

'Well, let's hope those guys are going to throw us a life-line

'because back in the garden the jobs are already stacking up.'

There's a delivery of timber for the walkway, a major feature of Joe's design for the teenagers' den area

and, thanks to Anneka, we've got just the team to build them.

Look at you. You've all got your high-vis on, your hard hats on,

your safety boots, all the tools.

The construction students from the local college are all tooled up

and ready for action.

Are any of you chippies?

No, chippies are where you get your chips from. We're all joiners.

Well, whatever they're called, they are certainly joining in.

Anneka has struck gold with this lot.

The lads were doing decking, which is great.

It kind of ties in with what the community's wanting here,

so it's ideal really.

It's better than college.

Ah, another platoon of volunteers. Are you the lifeguard guys?

-Yeah, we are, yeah.

-Nice to meet you. Fantastic.

And Anneka's lifeguards are joined by helpers from the care centre.

I will leave you in Ned's capable hands, OK?

He's going to show you how to strip.

A couple of you are splitting up into sections

just like that.

Our Baywatch hunks and babes are stripping turf for a new flowerbed.

I'm absolutely terrible at turf stripping, absolutely terrible.

I think I dug a hole instead of just stripping it.

We've got the joiners over there, or chippies as I know them,

and then the volunteers here stripping all this turf.

It's going really well today. Serious progress.

Our teen carers get stuck into the turf too

taking on the heart-shaped sandpit.

Digging it out is one thing

but filling it with eight tonnes of sand is going to be no small task.

To pull this feat off it's one of the many jobs we're leaving till

the big open day when we really hope the public will turn out in force

to join us for one final push.

Green fingers crossed.

Right now, our local volunteers are really pulling their weight.

The construction students must have been paying attention in class

because before we know it, the walkways are ready.

They also double up as seats for pow-wows around the campfire.

Time to test them out.

In a way, you seem closer-knit and tighter

and seem to know each other better than a lot of groups of friends.

Each one of us has got a parent or a sibling at home who we look after,

so we've all got that in common.

We all understand each other so these guys will know

if my mam's poorly or my sister's poorly I can't come out.

They understand that. You don't have to explain it.

What a great bunch. They're brilliant.

I can really see this garden being used for what it's designed for.

It's somewhere to just chat, forget about everything,

forget about your worries and enjoy being outdoors.

Next on Joe's to-do list are those crazy-coloured

ten-foot flowers for the kids' garden.

Now, you won't pick these up from your local garden centre, oh no.

This is a job for our resident artist, Miss Anneka Rice.

OK, so do you see, that will be like one petal?

-Can you do some of those for me?

-OK.

'A local design company has created the steel stalks

'and perspex petals for us to use.

'Now Hannah and her friends are going to help me decorate them.'

-Do you want to have a go, Hannah?

-Let's draw round it.

Do you want to draw round it? Or, Kayden, you go for it.

'We're using a special weatherproof glue

'to attach the multi-coloured petals to discs of clear Perspex.

'Back in the garden, Joe's in management mode.'

Just sort out that bit of turf down there and it'll all be sorted.

-Yeah, it's all going really well, coming along nicely.

-Jo!

I'm ready, mate, what do you want doing?

-Nice on, Tuffers. I've got one big job for you.

-Yes.

-You won't be needing that at all.

-Right, OK, no worries.

-You'll be needing this.

-Right.

-It's just over there.

Nice one. Hold that for a minute, mate.

OK. So...

# Pack up your troubles Get your old grin back

# Don't worry about the cavalry... #

I don't know who he thinks he is.

"Go and do that, Phil. Go and do this, Phil."

I never get to do any of the good jobs.

'I think all those years of bowling have done for my back.

'Luckily, though, there's some young ones to bail me out.'

OK, not the most sexiest job on site,

but we've got to go through this lot,

picking up all the litter and a little bit of weeds as we go.

Just to tidy it up a little bit. Grab yourself a bag.

And get stuck in.

# Pack up your troubles Get your old grin back

# Don't worry about the cavalry. #

What you need on a job like this,

plenty of willing volunteers.

'Back at the centre, one flower done, four to go.

'As we work, Hannah tells me about life at home.'

So what do you do when you're feeling sad at home?

I tend to run upstairs, sit...

..and just try and forget the whole situation.

And then I tend to just try and figure out where it went wrong.

-Does she understand, do you think, that you find it tough?

-Hm-mm.

-Yeah?

Yeah.

Is that quite nice about this centre?

That you can come and be with friends who are going through

the same thing, is that the best thing about it?

Yeah, it has to be.

You're all amazing. You know that, aren't you?

-Cos you're holding everything together and you're ten.

-I'm ten.

-And you're...?

-Eight.

-Eight. You're eight?

-And how old are you?

-Nine.

-You're nine.

How old do you feel you're being? About 28 or something, probably.

-Hm-mm.

-25.

-Do you feel you're 25? And you're eight.

-I feel like I'm 29.

-29, aw.

-Hm-mm.

To me, it's like, I've got a big weight on us.

The weight keeps getting pushed down every time I do something.

But when I'm here, it's as if the weight's pushed up.

Well, we want you to try and have as much childhood as you can

when you're in this safe place here

and when you're in our lovely garden that we're making for you.

'These flowers are going to be really colourful and a bit magical.'

Lift it up and then we'll get an idea of what it's going to look like.

-Ah!

-The flower's upside down.

-Ah!

-Wow.

Isn't that...? The butterfly's beautiful, the way it shows there.

'It strikes me this is exactly what Hannah needs in her life,

'a little bit of brightness and magic.'

Those kids never cease to amaze me.

Talk about old heads on very young shoulders.

And, Hannah, just talking about her family and her set-up,

it's beyond moving.

Extraordinary, really quite extraordinary.

'It's the end of our second day

'and we've still a long way to go on this garden.

'But the carers have been brilliant.

'Phil, Joe and I can see first hand just how committed they are

'and what a difference this garden could make to their lives.'

I mean, the thing about these kids

is that they have to grow up very quickly, don't they?

-Yeah.

-You were saying that earlier.

Yeah, well, I think it's a case of, when I was a kid, you know,

I had parents who, they were the responsible ones,

I could just be a kid, I didn't have to think about, you know,

any responsibilities at all. Whereas...

-What time's your tea.

-..it's the other way round here.

-Yeah.

It's the other way round. These kids are worrying about their parents.

-It's completely reversed.

-It must be a lot of stress as well.

It must be a lot of stress

to have that, sort of, on your plate at that age, you know.

Your job as a child was just to have freedom and innocence, wasn't it?

That's what this space is all about. I'm not going to call it a garden.

Where, erm, where the kids, after school, weekends,

whatever, whenever they have time to get out and meet their friends,

they've got somewhere to go and meet similar friends in a similar situation.

-It's their space.

-That's its brilliance, the fact that

they're all going through this strange experience together.

'We can't let Hannah and her mates down.

'We've really got to get this one bang on.'

'Early morning and, despite our initial set back,

'Mr Swift is full of smiles.'

It's great to see my design coming together on the ground.

This is where this, these pipes, these tubes are going to be laid,

so the kids can run through them from one side to the other.

But also run over the top of them as well.

It's going to be a bit of Tellytubbyland going on.

We've got a few issues with that.

'The tunnels are here, waiting to go in the hole,

'but they're blooming heavy.'

# I like to move it, move it... #

'We try lifting them with a dumper, then flattening the ground

'and try and roll them in.

'We'd like to move it, move it, but we can't, this is serious.'

Up to the top of the board.

# We like to move it, move it We like to move it... #

Swing the wheel that way.

'No hobbit holes, no fun.

'We just don't have the right tools for the job.'

-How's it going, Rich? That's a nice, big hole.

-Not very well.

-Why not?

Because we need to get these tunnels in there.

We had an idea, but the idea won't work.

What was the idea?

We were going to use the machine to lower them in,

but it won't carry the weight.

-The dumper, I'm worried, is going to tip the whole lot.

-No, no, no.

-So what do we need?

-We need...

-It's the machinery.

-..a telehandler.

-We need more big boys' toys. Telehandler?

-Yeah.

'The solution is a bit of kit called a telehandler,

'a fork lift with a telescopic arm.'

-OK, let's get one in. When's that coming?

-Don't know.

That's not the right answer.

Well, that's the answer you've got and the answer I've got.

'Unless we can do a Gandalf and magic up a telehandler

'in the next couple of hours, this build is going to grind to a halt.'

We need to get them in at the weekend,

so I need it today or tomorrow.

'Will we ever see the light at the end of these blooming tunnels?'

'While Joe tries to work out what to do,

'I'm off on a research trip to the seaside.'

I say, what a lovely day for cricket.

And it's great to be down on the beach,

cos kids in this situation,

they don't get out much or have treats like this.

So we're going to have a bit of fun.

I don't really go out on treats that much

because of my sister not liking many places.

I kind of get pushed out and it's not really my choice.

I don't really come down the beach that often with my family.

However, the closest we'll ever get is a drive along the top.

Obviously, it's difficult getting on the beach and everything.

-Hello, everyone. Hello. Hello, Sue.

-Hello.

-Hello. Where's Hannah?

Hello, Hannah.

-Hi.

-How are you? OK? Good stuff.

-Who's up for a game of cricket?

-Me!

-Me!

-Yes.

Right, we're going to play a little game of tip-and-run.

OK? So, once you've hit the ball,

you've got to get the ball into me here, throw it to me.

And you've got to run.

OK? Cool. Here we go.

'And you join us with Tuffers bowling from the sea end.'

-Oh, it's a big one!

-'And he's been knocked for six.'

-Go on, Hannah!

Keep running.

Oh, good stuff. Well fielded!

'That ball's travelling at least four miles an hour

'and he's skied it!'

Oh. Oh! Ah!

Ah.

'Tuffers out for a duck.'

Oh, good throw.

Oh!

-Quick!

-To me!

-Oh, no, no!

-'And he's missed a sitter.

'Don't think Tuffers'll be troubling the England selectors

'any time soon.'

Ah! No.

Worn out.

Well-played, see, hit them well.

'Time for a post-match tea and a chat with care worker, Sue,

'who called in the Flowerpot Gang.'

What do you think the garden's going to bring to the kids?

It gives them that room and it's going to be so flexible,

so adaptable. They can use it for socialising,

they can use it when they need some one-to-one space.

You know, instead of being cooped up in my office,

they can come out into the garden, nice, tranquil area and talk.

You know, it's just going to be adaptable

for so many different things.

It's going to be absolutely amazing.

'Back in the garden, a break through.'

Rich! Good news, the telehandler's here.

-Kept that a bit of secret.

-Oh,

-I'M

-keeping things a secret.

Anyone keeps secrets from me, I'm keeping secrets from you lot.

Was that English?

'A very big boys' toy has arrived. And it's tunnels a-go.'

This looks very encouraging. It's in one piece and it's in the hole.

'The guys might be enjoying playing giant Jenga,

'but tunnel-trouble has put us two days behind.'

Oh, ho, ho. Nice.

'Well, they're going in.

'But we've still got to shift ten tons of soil

'to turn them into Joe's hobbit hills.'

'Time to turn our attention to the team chill-out space.

'There's a stack to do to turn this corner of the Northeast

'into a little bit of Ibiza.

'There's a fire pit to build, bench and table to go in,

'a rope swing to hang.

'But first job on Joe's list, the arches.

-Bit further back.

-Further back? All the way back?

Right up to the board, there, there.

Yeah, nice.

Now, the idea here is that we've got a set of arches

that you walk through as if you're entering a different space.

It's going to work really well. And then Anneka's going

to tell us how to cut them

and she's going to personalise them, get arty with it. Should look good.

The arches can be made up in plywood to be whatever we want, really.

Fundamentally, whatever childhood you have, whether you're in the city

or in the country,

you're having a tough time, you're having a great time,

when you're together with your friends, that is the escape.

And I think that's true for everyone, whatever you're going through.

And what's particularly relevant for these kids

is they have an area to be with their mates on their own,

away from the cares and, you know, the worries they have at home.

'I want Becky and her friends to get creative with the arches.

'It's the perfect opportunity for a little self-expression.'

-So, girls, this was, you want to do a rainbow...

-Yeah.

-..to start with.

So go for it.

-I'm so scared.

-Do a bit there.

'But for kids not used to doing things their own way,

'it looks like they need a little nudge.'

You can tell I'm not a graffiti artist.

Can I just say, neither am I. Shall we have a go, though?

# You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream... #

Right, Anneka, do you think we should do red going straight across?

-It'll look a mental, huge rainbow.

-A mental...

I love the thought of a mental, huge rainbow.

Why not? It's your garden.

'I'm pleased to see my budding Banksys coming out of their shell.

'With so much responsibility,

'these kids must have very little time to themselves.'

So is this a full-time job for you now really, being at home?

It is a full-time job, but I've also got another job as well.

-I have my...my regular job.

-Yes.

-And I do that like 20 odd hours a week.

-Yes.

-And that's my time to escape from home life.

-Yeah.

-I love my job.

I really admire how Becky and all the young carers navigate through life.

Hopefully this garden will give them a taste of the freedom they deserve.

-I had an idea!

-Oh, my goodness.

-We could have, like...

flowerpots on the bottom of each one

and then draw, like, sunflowers or something.

Hug! Yes.

-That is lovely. So that could be on the fourth one?

-Yeah.

Oh, she's good, this girl.

It may be going all right for Annie in the chill out area,

but it's chaos in the kids' garden.

We've got the tunnels in, but we're nowhere near turning them into a hobbit hill.

It's more like the Somme than the Shire.

Yeah, we're in trouble.

I hope you want to stay tonight,

cos we're going to be here a long time.

Even longer than last night!

Six days that's been going in.

The old tunnel, the two tunnels.

Six days they started that, digging the holes.

Then we had to get the old pipes over

and now we're working out how to retain the soil and yes,

all I can hear is Richard talking about some late nights.

There may very well be a late night.

Or two.

But there better not be more, cos we've got to finish the job.

Away from the tunnels, there is progress.

Joe's natural climbing frame has arrived.

And when he said natural, boy, he really meant it.

Not everyone's convinced.

It's different. Very different.

I mean, it looks like a work-in-progress at the moment.

So once we can see whether things are going to hang off it or...

Is it just going to look like a tree upside down or what?

It does look quite crazy, like.

It might not look much to teenagers,

but this locally-designed climbing frame is instant fun for young kids.

I didn't realise it was going to have so many different elements going on.

No, yeah, we try to get as much into a small space as possible

to give the kids as many things to interact with.

So, a climbing net that doubles up as a hammock,

a hand-carved seat

and climbing grips that also add a bit of colour.

This space is really going to make such difference

to a group of young people's lives and if you've been inspired,

why not come and help us with our next project?

This Friday we'll be in Bristol, where we've been battling the elements

to complete a communal garden for two very deserving schools.

Is this the water feature? It's in?

But having been at the mercy of the wettest summer on record,

we're still not done.

-This is the most horrendous weather I'd ever seen!

-'And that's where you come in.'

Please join us in Bristol to help finish this garden off

and help celebrate its grand opening in style.

Details coming up at the end of the programme.

Back in Sunderland, I've come to realise that it's all too easy

to assume that because you're a kid, you're carefree.

So I'm keen to meet Hannah's mum,

who really knows how much emotional support these young carers give.

We've all absolutely fallen in love with Hannah.

-She's an absolute star. You must be very proud of her.

-I am very proud of her.

-I don't think Hannah actually knows what she does for anybody else.

-No.

It's kind of something that's built into her.

She does it all the time for no reason.

GIRLS LAUGH

For example, Rachel's sleep patterns aren't very good,

so she'll come in several times a night just for reassurance,

so Hannah doesn't get a lot of sleep. And obviously when she goes to school,

none of the teachers really know that that goes on.

-GIRLS LAUGH

-And what would be the best thing

that's going to come out of this garden, do you think, that we're doing?

I think just the sense of being part of something bigger,

giving back to the kids.

To have known that they've helped create this garden

and been a big part of it

and that each and every one of them's got a bit of their personality within the garden.

It's the penultimate day of our build.

And with over 500 plants to unload,

Anneka's lads from the construction college are turning out to be a rare find.

I know you guys aren't plant experts by any means,

but if things look the same when you stack them, put them together, yeah?

And off here. Some great specimens.

I only brought them in to do a bit of decking,

but they've just carried on above and beyond the call of duty.

-Thank you so much for all this.

-Hey, it's great.

It's a great learning environment for the students. They can't get this at college.

We can't teach them this, it's real life problem solving and things, so...

-Can I ask you a big favour?

-Yes.

-Will you keep an eye on this project?

-Yeah.

-As a college. So if they've got running repairs or something comes loose,

it's great to think there's some legacy in that you can be there.

And if we're down here, if there's anything needs doing, I'm sure we can lend a hand.

-Hug!

-Group hugs?

-Hug, hug! Group hugs.

It's really is exciting to think that this garden will not only

benefit the young carers for years to come,

but has brought the community together as well.

And it's not just our college students learning new skills on-site.

Me and the team carers are also adding strings to our bows.

-What have you got from doing the garden? What have you taken from it?

-How to garden.

My mam did say to us, "It this going to inspire you to do your own garden at home?"

-And I went, "Ha, no!"

-No!

-Do you think you'll be down here a lot?

-Aye, already planning on it!

But at this rate, they'll be hanging out on a building site.

It's now less than 24 hours until Hannah gets her sneak preview

before the grand opening day.

With hundreds of plants still needing to be planted, there's a way to go.

Surely it's just a matter of the volunteers getting them in the ground.

-Simple, right?

-Tuffers.

-Yes, mate?

-Take this bamboo.

-Right.

I'm going to stand up here and get a good placing,

so if you go back there...

Actually, back towards me a little bit.

Yeah. No, too far.

Ever since his put that hat on, he thinks he's like Napoleon!

-Anywhere else.

-They're like little sculptures...

-All right!

They're plants at the end of the day, not little sculptures, plants!

No, but they're like.. They are sculptures.

Where do you want these two plants?

-They need...

-I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I'm sorry.

I'm going to give you a nice little spot now. OK?

-You're meant to talk to plants, aren't you?

-Well, yes.

-Do you talk to them?

-But don't patronise them!

-Don't...

-THEY LAUGH

-How's that?

-Yeah, that's perfect.

Oh...

With the site cracking on and my planting skills coming up

a bit short, I've been relegated to rock collecting.

Joe's asked me to go

and get some stones for the fire pit in the sort of team den area.

To be fair, it's quite nice to get out of doing all the shovelling.

-Oh...

-Lead the way, sir.

Oh, dear. They're quite big stones.

-You're a big lad.

-I'm a big lad...

I hope they're the ones that Joe wants. But they're pretty big.

Sit round there, few barbecues, a few toasted marshmallows. Perfect.

Back at the carer's centre, with the fire pit marked out

and the faithful construction students back for more,

I'm sure we'll get this built in no time.

Oh, that's come up lovely. Oh, that's come up lovely, that has.

Oh, that slipped in like a knife through butter.

He's a good talker, but building a fire pit needs more than chat, Phil.

-What?

-Put it in a wheelbarrow.

Put it in a wheelbarrow? All right. Don't want to upset the boss.

"Oi, put it in a wheelbarrow. Put it in a wheelbarrow!"

HE LAUGHS

# I fell into a burning ring of fire... #

Yeah, it looks a very good job.

He's in the makings of being a very good landscaper at this rate.

Praise indeed from Mr Grumpy! I'm stunned.

I think that looks all right. Nice big fire going in there.

All sitting round here. Happy days.

-Yes!

-HE LAUGHS

Don't get too smug, Tuffers, it's the end of our last day

and we're still nowhere near finishing.

This den area, which looks pretty nice here

but all the trim's got to go on all the rest of the benches

and that's really time-consuming, very concise work.

This muddy swamp over here, this is our hammock area,

so poles have got to be sunk into the ground here and all these jobs

sound quite little, but they take an hour or two, several hours.

The planting, there's still a ton of plants over there

still to be placed even in this garden.

And here, with the tunnels, the famous tunnels,

they've caused us so many problems, these tunnels.

But they will be fantastic. They've still got to be clad, as you can see.

The barking's going to go all the way down here.

And this mound of earth, this is going to be flattened out

and landscaped into a lovely grassy mound.

It'll be all hands on deck tomorrow

if we've got any hope of hitting our target.

In less than five hours, we'll be giving little Hannah

and then the younger child carers their very own private view

before the official opening of our Sunderland Wonderland.

We're really up against it, everybody.

I want to get this whole mound turfed today.

What we've got to do is tread it all over,

we're going to have a group treading it over. Yeah?

-So, you guys...come and do the dance.

-Let's do shuffling.

# Every day I'm shuffling... #

Boogieing! Come on!

-We're dancing! Let me see you dancing.

-That's it.

# Put your hands up... #

While Joe and Phil keep the party going on Hobbit Hill,

I've gone all psychedelic.

"Oh!" is all I can say. They are fantastic!

Oh, I've been waiting for this moment all week.

The enormous flowers Hannah and the other kids helped make are ready for planting.

Annie, they're fantastic. Just need a cocktail big enough for them now!

-Yeah, could you make mine a double?

-No problem.

Over the next couple of hours, everyone's got a job to do.

But when it comes to real problem solving,

it takes a professional.

We've got two hours to get it finished. There's a canny bit to do.

I don't think we're going to get it done.

We've flattened the soil on the tiles, so now the governor wants it turfed.

What we're going to do is, because of the shape of the...

As you know, what we want to do is lay them like bricks, so you put one down,

the next one goes along here and they butt up to each other.

-Quite nice.

-But no overlapping. And no gaps. Anneka, concentrate!

-I am concentrating!

-You're not. Go to the back of the class!

Shall we get another roll of turf around here? Lovely.

A little bit of PMA -

positive mental attitude.

We haven't got long to go. Everyone's just gone up a gear.

OK, guys. Amazing team effort going on over here. Fantastic!

Another roll?

We may be on a roll, but time's up.

After nine days of seriously hard graft,

we are nearly ready to show this garden to Hannah,

one of the people who this garden is all for.

However, we've got a whole stack of jobs still to do,

starting with the sand for this sandpit

and loads of planting - and that's where you come in.

Last week, we gave a shout out to you, the Great British public,

to come down and finish off our garden, but before we reveal

who came down and gave us a hand for the final push,

there's a very special girl, aged ten,

who's been champing at the bit to see how we've been getting on.

What you've got to do is absolutely no peeking until I tell you when

so cover up,

-and full hands like that, OK?

-OK.

One, two...

Three.

Oh, my God!

-What do you think?

-Amazing!

Isn't it absolutely lovely? Shall we go and have a real snoop around?

-That's the sort of climbing area, OK?

-Mm-hmm.

And then look at your wonderful, wonderful artwork.

-Did it get finished?

-It got finished!

-Go and see if you can see your one.

-OK.

-That one, isn't it?

-Yeah, look!

-Isn't that amazing?

-Yes!

-And can you see all the shadows?

-Oh, yes!

-Shall we run over the bridge?

-Yes!

Go on, we need someone to christen it.

I'm excited!

I'm excited!

Oh, I think we can safely say that Hannah approves.

She's so excited, which is just, just the reaction I hoped,

that she'd be thrilled with everything.

'And if this is Hannah's reaction,

'I can't wait to get this garden really finished

'and see what everyone thinks at our grand opening. But first,

'let's see if the other young carers approve.'

Welcome to your playground!

They love the bridge!

CHILDREN LAUGH, SQUEAL

Well, I think that's a thumbs up. But what about Sue?

OK, one, two...

Three. Have a little look.

Oh, wow!

Oh, that is just absolutely...

That's nothing what... That's far, far more

than what I ever thought it was going to be.

How good is that?

HANNAH SQUEALS

Hannah's over there. She's just been shouting,

"Mum, look at me on the rope!" She's so excited. She's amazed.

Absolutely amazing, overwhelming.

Now, look, they're doing races now through the tunnel.

That tunnel is going to be the most popular...

the thing that caused us the biggest headache,

-putting this wretched tunnel in...

-It's been worth it!

-..is the best thing!

-Tunnelgate comes good in the end.

Sorry to ruin the party, but actually, we're not done.

We've got the sandpit to do, I've got a surprise coming in over here.

-Oh!

-We've got more bark, more planting. This isn't finished.

90% of the way there, but not done yet.

I'm liking the sound of the surprise.

-I've got a surprise.

-Flowers, champagne?

-Nothing like that. For me?

I can't tell you, but it's a good one.

Well, it's been a few weeks since we revealed the garden to Hannah and Sue

and now I'm on my way back to Sunderland Young Carers

for one final push and the grand opening.

Joe's on site early to assess how much we've got to do.

The list is getting longer.

One thing's certain - we'll need some help to get it all done.

The main jobs - completing the planting,

filling the sandpit, and of course,

there's Joe's surprise.

In last week's programme, we called out for volunteers.

Let's hope the Olympic spirit is still alive and kicking.

Something tells me I'm going to get very wet today.

Gradually, the garden is filling up.

People have come from far and wide to help us.

This is a proper army of volunteers today!

Thank you so much. What have you brought?

All these lovely things for us to plant.

-What's your daughter called?

-Tiana.

Tiana, thank you. Are you eating it? Oh, you're picking the leaves off!

Everyone gets stuck in, and as usual,

Joe's issuing the orders.

OK, now, you two place the mushrooms where you think they'll be good.

Can you take the wheelbarrows full of weeds?

As well as 500 plants to go in,

there's loads of little finishing touches, including the sunshade

and our Flowerpot Gang volunteers are on planting duty.

I think it's, like, really good

because it brings everybody together and there's loads of people here.

I saw the programme, and I was totally inspired

and I thought, "I've got a free day, I'll come along and help."

-Have you got a connection with this place?

-I have, yes.

My oldest son's autistic

-and his brother, who's nine, is a young carer.

-Right, OK.

So he'll be able to use the centre.

'I've a nasty feeling that Joe's left the worst job,

'filling the empty sandpit, to yours truly.'

Well, you know the sandpit in there?

-You know the lovely heart-shaped sandpit, Tuffers?

-Yeah...

-There's one problem with it.

-It's got no sand in it!

So you want that lot of sand in the sandpit?

It's not going to move itself!

I hope they enjoy playing in this sandpit.

There's about eight tonnes of it round there.

Eight tonnes of desert

waiting to be shifted!

I think I'm going to need some volunteers,

and when in doubt, always ask a policeman.

-Ladies.

-Hiya.

-Just what I needed.

We've got a massive job. We've got to get the sand

from the car park into there, eight tonnes of it.

-You feeling strong?

-Yes.

-Yeah!

I think I'll get some other volunteers to give us a hand.

-Where do you... Over here?

-Yes, sir.

-Where have you come from, sir?

-I actually live in Sunderland.

OK, and what's your connection with this area and the garden?

I just watched your programme the other week and enjoyed it

so I thought I'd volunteer.

'Thanks to me barrow boys and girls, the sandpit is nearly full.'

We've got it going now, we're moving now.

I understand what these young carers go through.

It should be the time when they're enjoying themselves and being out and about,

and they can't, so I thought the least I can do

is come over and dig a few holes.

Where's Joe?

He's hiding in a corner with a treat for Becky and the teens.

Under here is my surprise.

Now, it's a good one. I'm going to get young carers over.

Chaps!

-Now, you're never going to guess what this is.

-What is it?

What do you think it is?

-It's a swimming pool.

-A swimming pool?

It's an outdoor table tennis table. Hours of fun.

-Really nice surprise. I wasn't expecting it.

-I can get practice in now!

-Right, go on, then.

-Like that?

Becky, Becky! Try hitting the ball, rather than the air around it.

-Oh, no!

-Over the...

Excuse me!

I'm barrowing all this sand, eight tonnes of it over there,

and you're there messing about!

-Have you got it in yet?

-Well...

LAUGHTER

-Finish your game, and then switch on.

-OK.

Oooh!

With the beds finished,

the sandpit full

and Joe's surprise delivered, it's time to celebrate.

Right, well, I think we're nearly finished. I think we're there.

So now, after ten days of hard graft,

we've transformed bland parkland

into a Sunderland wonderland for youngsters.

A place where Becky, Hannah and all the young carers

can rediscover their lost childhoods.

MUSIC: "Paradise" by Coldplay

To thank the Flowerpot Gang and all our brilliant helpers,

the young carers throw a party.

I would just like to thank everybody

for coming and making this garden happen.

Yeah, there must be over 100 people here today. You've been amazing.

We've been inundated with help. Thank you so much.

Now it's time to hand it over to the people who deserve it the most,

the Sunderland Young Carers!

CHEERING

It's fantastic that something like this

just brings together the community.

It shows the community spirit that we know is here.

A lot of people forget that. Thank you very, very much.

APPLAUSE

I just want to say a massive, massive thank you

to each and everybody who's come out today to help us.

The garden means so much to young carers.

I think each and every one of us is proud to be part of this programme

so thank you very much, and thanks, guys.

Group hug!

And now it's little Hannah's turn to take centre stage.

On behalf of all the young carers,

we have figured out our name.

It's The Garden Of Dreams

because it's always been our dream to have a garden.

CHEERING

MUSIC: "Rule The World" by Take That

# If you stay with me, girl

# We can rule the world

# Yeah, you and me, we can light up the sky

# If you stay by my side... #

Well, if you've been inspired by what you've seen,

why not form your own Flowerpot Gang

and transform a piece of land that's unused near where you live?

I can't tell you how much it can bring everyone together.

Next week, we're in Bristol,

where a derelict garden next to a school is crying out for help.

A 12-year-old pupil called Callum

has a dream of rebuilding this unloved plot of land.

His teacher Claire has contacted the Flowerpot Gang to ask for our help.

They've got nowhere to go.

They've got a room, which has got some chairs in.

It's not very inspiring.

Callum and his classmates are kids with behavioural problems

and Claire believes the school desperately needs a garden

to give their pupils a much-needed outdoor haven.

A tough challenge in any conditions,

but from day one, it poured.

THUNDER RUMBLES

Is this the water feature? I love it!

'And it poured...'

It's hell. We're in hell.

Get the barrow, follow me.

'The rain finally gave us a break.'

Come on!

'But the Bristol garden still isn't finished

'and that's where you come in.'

We'd like you to come along this Friday

and help us finish the project.

To help us celebrate the garden's grand opening,

go online for details.

MUSIC: "Mr Blue Sky" by ELO

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd