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| Trowels at the ready! |
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| Planting the Buddleia |
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Adam Woodhouse, Fleur Moore,
Alice Chadwick, Charlotte Benton and Rhianna Farr sitting at one of the new picnic benches |
Year 4 children from Orchard Junior School have completed the final planting of butterfly friendly bushes in a new wildlife area in Noadsway Play Area, this completed an initiative that started a year ago as part of their geography curriculum.
Jo Fenton a teacher at Orchard Junior School working with Helen Owers, Hythe and Dibden Parish Development Officer and Candy Huxham, HANDY Trust Youth work developed the project to allow the children to actively participate in the Hythe and Dibden Community Action Plan as part of their curriculum.
The children came up with a number of projects they would like to see within their community two of them being a 'wildlife and butterfly garden' and more 'places to have a picnic'.
Working in partnership with Hythe and Dibden Parish Council funding was obtained from Hampshire County Council Youth Opportunities Fund and a suitable area was located.
Work started last week installing the new picnic tables, made from recycled bottle tops, and planting buddleia, dogwood and broom, 5 children from Orchard Junior completed the planting with some dark blue buddleia, the grass will now be allowed to grow up and nettles and brambles left in situ but controlled to create a wildlife habit which will attract butterflies and bees.
"It is so much nicer for children when schoolwork has a 'real outcome', this project demonstrates to the children that they are part of a community, their ideas are valuable and, most importantly, their voices are heard, that they can make a difference to their immediate environment, Hythe and Dibden Parish Council very much value our young people and we are proud of our record of successfully engaging with them on so many projects.
The butterfly garden project also impressed Ofsted inspectors and it received special mention in Orchard Junior School's OFSTED Report last year" |
