A chicken house built by adults with learning difficulies has won a community initiative prize.

Service users at the Department of Health and Social Care’s Resource Industrial Centre (ERIC), who were supported by Cedar Developments, have received an award after entering the Big Build project.

The project is run by the Considerate Constructors’ Scheme (CCS), which aims to encourage firms to engage with communities by asking them to create a structure out of recyclable materials.

Featuring an array of furniture and a thatched roof, ’Feather Cottage’ was selected as one of three winners from across the British Isles earlier this month.

A spokesman from the DHSC said: ’The judges particularly enjoyed the table and chairs as well as the tiny painted picture and praised the fact that the cottage had a long-term use. It really is a brilliant job done by all.’

Cedar Developments, which is currently building a £5 million adult day service facility at Noble’s Hospital near to ERIC, approached staff to see if they would like to be entered in the competition.

Alex Burnett from Cedar said: ’We are proud to have played a part in the ERIC team winning this award, but all the credit must go with the service users and staff who made it happen.

’The materials we supplied have been put to excellent use and the chickens now have a fantastic new home. The CCS is an important organisation which encourages firms to work with communities and enhance the environment, and we will certainly be looking to work with other groups in the future.’

Alex Burnett and Francis Johnson from Cedar were joined by Big Build mascot Honor Goodsite to present the team with a £100 Amazon voucher.

Senior day support worker Marie Spencer told the Courier: ’Cedar are a fantastic company to work with, a credit to the construction industry, and we’re grateful to them for helping ERIC achieve this success as well as recognising inclusion and ownership for the people who will use the new day centre.

’The company has forged a very positive and supportive relationship with service users. allowing some the opportunity to help to lay foundation stones and have their artwork proudly displayed.’