EARLIER this month saw us mark National Apprenticeship Week and to coincide with this national celebration, here in the borough we had something to be extremely proud of.

The success of two projects – one launched by the council and another through our colleagues across Greater Manchester – meant our 100th apprentice started out in a new career.

It’s a significant milestone for a set of initiatives that will benefit the entire borough in many ways.

Last week, 16-year-old Leyton Holt from Atherton started his new role with an automotive firm through the council’s Apprenticeships for Young People (AYP) scheme.

We opened this project – which had a £375,000 pot attached – more than a year ago to find more apprentices in the construction, manufacturing, engineering and digital industries, in particular.

It meant grants were available to providers for up to £5,000 depending on the length of the apprenticeship.

To see how far we have come in that short space of time is fantastic and we wish Leyton the best of luck in his new career.

Providing suitable opportunities for our young people is key priority for us as it means the next generation are placing a firm foot on the employment ladder.

In addition, the council has also supported the GM-wide #SeeDifferent campaign, which creates apprenticeships for all ages, not just young people.

The creation of 100 apprenticeship roles is certainly something to be celebrated but we should not become complacent and we will therefore look to support as many as we can in the future.

The start of this month has also seen the council make an ambitious environmental pledge to plant one million trees throughout the borough in the next decade.

More than 80,000 are in the schedule for the first year – equating to one tree for every child in the borough.

Young residents have voiced their concerns about the borough’s future air quality and how important environmental issues are to them.

We’ve taken that on board and this tree-planting scheme is designed not only to improve the quality of our air but can also reduce flood risk and provide a boost for wildlife and biodiversity.

It all follows on from our support of the Big Climate Fightback in November when trees were distributed to groups of volunteers and communities as part of National Tree Week.

The project is just the beginning of our wider work to improve the environment and create a more sustainable future, fitting in with our target to become carbon neutral by 2038.

On the immediate horizon is a key milestone for one of the major sporting events coming to Leigh in 2021.

Later this month will see 500 days until the kick-off of the Women’s Euro Championships and we’ll have some further announcements around that date to start the anticipation for the tournament’s arrival in the borough.

Finally, picking up on something I mentioned in my previous column, it is the last chance to make a bid for our Deal for Communities Investment Fund (DFCIF).

The latest round is focused on providing opportunities for young people and closes on Sunday, February 16.

To find out more about the DFCIF or for advice on a possible bid, please contact thedealforcommunities@wigan.gov.uk.