School head's pride as work begins on eco-garden

A primary school headteacher has said she is "incredibly proud" to see work begin on a new eco-garden designed by pupils.

Allison Hickson said the garden at Sandylands Primary School in Morecambe, Lancashire, was being created on previously unused land.

It has been funded by a £47,000 grant from West End Morecambe Big Local (WEM), a resident-led community partnership, together with support from Lancashire County Council.

"We are hugely grateful to WEM and all our collaborators and contractors, for believing in the children's ideas and helping turn them into reality," said the headteacher.

"Creating sustainable environments is important to us and something that children need to be involved in and educated on," she added.

The pupil-led eco-garden, located behind the school's Balmoral Road buildings, has been designed for nature, wellbeing, outdoor and ecological learning, a school spokesperson said.

The idea stemmed from a pupil forum held by WEM "to canvass a child's-eye view of life in the West End", with pupils requesting "somewhere green that felt like it belonged to them".

A memorial bench among herbs and strawberry planters will also be in place to remember school governor June Ashworth.

It will also include growing areas and polytunnels, bug hotels and bird feeders, water collection for planting, outdoor seating, and a large activity table.

Morecambe mayor Margaret Pattison attended the launch of the project, alongside the school head, parents and pupils and community partners.

Joe Robinson from WEM said: "Children's voices are often forgotten in public consultations, and the scope and imagination of this project shows just how important and inspiring they can be."

The garden is due to be constructed by the end of March, followed by spring planting and landscaping, with a formal opening around April.

Hickson said with the Eden Project Morecambe imminent, there were many links with the project and the school wanted to be as involved as possible in all things sustainable.

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