Stanwix school children get dug in

(Date of issue: Friday, 1 May 2009)

A group of budding green fingered school children from Stanwix Primary School, their parents and grandparents, will be getting dug in next Tuesday (5 May), as part of a new gardening project in St Michael’s Church grounds.

Members of the school’s ‘Inter- Generational Gardening Club’ will be helping to develop a wild garden and wet area within St Michael’s Church grounds, between 11am and 1pm. The small piece of land has temporarily been offered for the school’s use by Carlisle Diocese. Carlisle City Council is supporting the green initiative and helped with the preparatory work, which started on the site in early April.

The Mayor of Carlisle, Cllr Jacquelyne Geddes will open the new garden for use next Tuesday (5 May) at 11am. She will be joined by seven members of the school’s gardening club who will be accompanied by their families.

Bill Johnston, Headteacher at Stanwix Primary School, said:

“Our school has, for many years, had a close relationship with St Michael’s Church, Stanwix. It is very close to the school and our children make regular visits the church grounds to experience the outdoors and investigate the science of plant life through bulb planting in flower beds and herb garden borders.

“The new gardening and science project will not only involve the children of our school but their families as well. We feel very privileged to be involved with the professional team from Carlisle City Council and are extremely excited about the future prospects for the project.”

The benefits of the project include: enhancing the children’s knowledge and interest in the outdoors already developed in the classroom; developing an interest that can be shared between children and their close families and using an outdoor area as a classroom for learning which will inspire and engage the children.