All are welcome at opening of Morecambe primary school’s pioneering new eco-garden

The brainchild of the pupils themselves, with funding from West End Morecambe Big Local (WEM), Sandylands Primary School’s new inclusive sensory eco-garden is ready for its official opening on Tuesday May 5, and everyone’s invited.

Through the school’s Pupils’ Parliament, children, some without access to green space at home, helped design a place they could call their own, transforming previously unused land into a thriving outdoor learning environment.

Designed to be used as a care element in curriculum development for Early Years children and to nurture wellbeing and connection with nature, the garden sits behind Sandylands’ Balmoral Road buildings. 

The garden will be officially opened by mayor Margaret Pattison at 10am.

Pupils from age two upwards will spend the day enjoying and exploring activities including seed planting, bird feeder making, fruit kebab workshops, science experiments, and participating in the exciting CancerCare Sunflower Challenge.

It gives the school the chance to thank the supporters, local contractors, craftspeople and volunteers who made the project possible, including Lancashire County Council, Rewilding Roots environmental educators, Acorn Woodcraft wood sculptors, landscape contractors Distinctive Group. EDF Energy (who donated mature fruit trees), and Vicky Turner of VP Pets, who donated food for the bird feeders. 

 From 3.30pm, parents and everyone from the wider community are warmly invited, offering families a chance to explore the space and enjoy refreshments, meet the children and supporters behind the initiative, and learn more about the school’s innovative and positive pupil-centred provision.

“We set ourselves a pretty challenging timescale,” reflects headteacher Allison Hickson, “but access to green space and understanding the importance of our place in the ecosystem, is vital.

“Thanks to our amazing partners, volunteers, and many of the children themselves, it’s opening on time!” 

 Becoming part of the school’s regular curriculum and Climate Action Plan, nature recording, water collection, vegetable plots, strawberry polytunnels and the fascinating wormery, which already has children eagerly saving their snack-time fruit peel, will foster a sense of ownership, pride and environmental responsibility.

Outdoor seating, including a memorial bench to much-loved school governor June Ashworth, wooden chainsaw sculptures, and quiet green spaces will open up the benefits of spending time in nature to everyone.

“Tuesday is a real celebration, connecting the school with the community.  Many thanks go to everyone involved and the eco-garden will be central in not only raising awareness of climate change but creating a ‘green’ curriculum that allows our youngest children to learn outdoors. 

“We are pushing back against ‘toxic childhoods’.  We must thank Mrs Lupton who led this innovative venture and had the vision to make it happen, alongside West End Big Local. It has truly been a community project” added Allison.

All pre-schoolers and parents are welcome to the opening from 9.15am to 10.30am.

Sandylands pupils, parents and anyone from the wider community can visit between 3.30 and 4.30pm.