With all the work going on, lots of lovely discoveries were made which prove that the area is enhancing the environment. In the future, this will provide valuable learning opportunities.

 

With the area cleared and the new mud kitchen in place, it was decided to fill in the old pond area. We measured and with the help of the HWB children we calculated the amount of soil that would be needed, it was lots!

We put a plea out on the PTA Facebook page, to which we had an amazing response and some topsoil was donated, sadly it was not enough.

We approached various local business to see if they could help, but covid was having a negative impact so unfortunately they were unable to assist us.  Top soil had not only become very expensive it was also proving difficult to access, even in the trade.

Running out of ideas I approached Green Futures for help. Rob at Green Futures came to look at the area and offered to provide us with enough soil to fill the area. The back breaking work of moving the soil meant all hands on deck, even an ex pupil! Even Mrs Bowring obtained her wheel barrow license!! Once the hole was full we created a new larger log circle which would allow social distancing. We thought it looked amazing

 

 

 

The old log circle area was now waiting to be developed with the children’s ideas once they returned to sessions. 

Meanwhile  the polytunnel continued to grow and flourish with HWB children helping. All participants enjoyed being able to be outside, working together watering and weeding and learning about the different plants and even some of the animals and insects that we encountered. Even the ones we didn’t want such as slugs, snails, hedgehogs (and even Stan the cat!).  

We researched ways of discouraging the insects eating our vegetables, stopping the hedgehogs eating from our raised beds outside and trying to get Stan not to have a soil bed on our newly planted seedlings. Thankfully a washing up liquid solution and some orange rind provided the answer.

The butternut squash bloomed.