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Students cultivate garden in lockdown
Posted: 10th July 2020It is not only young people a school has watched grow during lockdown.
Students at Forest Hall School designed a garden for the community as part of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Campaign for School Gardening project The Green Plan It Challenge.
In March, families gave up their time to help to bring the design to life within the school grounds, clearing an overgrown area ready for planting.
Work has continued during lockdown, with students attending school taking the opportunity to develop their gardening skills.
Daniel Ricketts, gardening club leader, said: “The school garden has continued to grow, even during the partial closure, with students being offered the opportunity each week to develop their skills and enjoy the outdoor space at school.
“Students have worked incredibly hard in painting fences, setting down paths, making raised beds, upcycling wooden pallets to make benches and tool stands, all while learning how to use a range of tools such as saws, files and cordless drills. Students have relished the chance to do something different and show off many hidden skills.
“The most exciting part was seeing students who already had skills with these tools teaching others how to use them. That is what the project is all about!”
The project was given £500 by the Ernest Cook Trust to buy welly boots and waterproof clothing for outdoor work, £500 from Stansted Parish Council to buy materials for the garden and £200 from Forest Hall School PTA. The Royal Horticultural Society also contributed up to £1,500.
Staff at the school have been taking in garden waste from home to add to the compost and donated unwanted gardening items.
Follow the team’s progress on Twitter @fhs_garden