Aigburth primary school enjoys a blooming good start to the term thanks to new garden
Pupils at St Charles’ Catholic Primary School in Aigburth returned after the summer holidays to a great green surprise when they found that a disused patch of land has been transformed into their very own school garden.
The transformation was led by water company United Utilities, which has been carrying out work in the Tramway Road area to replace cast iron water mains with new plastic pipes. Workers had noticed that an area in the school grounds was in need of some TLC and decided to turn their attention, and spades, to the extra task.
A group of volunteers from the water company, along with Morrison Water Services, got together to plan out a garden, and with donations from both B&Q and Travis Perkins were able to create a fantastic new green space.
The area now boasts a range of plants and is already home to an array of wildlife. It will be a safe space for pupils and teachers to enjoy some fresh air and also spark a wealth of learning opportunities, from seeing which insects prefer which wildflowers, to growing their own vegetables.
Jacqueline Daly, School Business Manager from St Charles’ Catholic Primary School, said: “This new garden area really is going to help the mental health and wellbeing of both our children and staff alike. It was an area we were looking at redeveloping at some point, so the fact we were gifted with this amazing opportunity really has made a world of difference to everyone at St. Charles’. We thank you all so much for volunteering your time.
“Our new garden area will be a space where children and staff are able to sit, relax and reflect. The children will be planting vegetables in the raised bed areas and will use their grown ingredients in cooking sessions.
“We are very much looking forward to seeing the new wildlife the area will attract.”
Lesley Miller, Third Party Coordinator at United Utilities, said: “This really has made a huge difference at the school, not only for the pupils but the staff too.
“They now have a fantastic outdoor space where they can relax and take a break, and there is no end of things the children will be able to learn about while exploring the garden, from the natural world to the water cycle.
“We’re so proud to be able to support our local communities in this way, and thank everyone from United Utilities and Morrison Water Services who gave up their time, and the companies who donated supplies to create this amazing space.”
For ideas to boost water efficiency in your garden, visit: www.unitedutilities.com/help-and-support/save-water/save-water-in-the-garden/