A County Durham village rallied to transform an overgrown school garden just in time for the new term.
Esh Winning Academy primary school, built in 2012 and a learning environment for almost 300 pupils, has been the recipient of a big community project this summer.
The school was built on a large grassland, featuring a wide woodland where children could explore. However, in recent years, the area has become unusable due to the unmanageable growth.
(Image: ESH WINNING ACADEMY) Residents had been complaining to the council that their ‘cars were getting caught’ on the trees.
Parish Councillor for Brandon and Byshottles (West), Malcom Wall, set out to inspect the hedge, and after a meeting with Headteacher Caroline Hodgson, he saw the extent of the issue.
Malcolm said: “I went down to see the headteacher about getting the hedge cut, and she showed us around the school.
“She said they didn’t have the funds to do it back up, and I said I’d see what I could do and went from there. I ended up doing all of it.”
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) Headteacher Caroline Hodgson said: “Because of the size of the place, it meant there was some areas that we just couldn’t keep on top of. We haven’t got the expertise either to know how to get it back to where it could be used by the children.
“There were some areas that I am embarrassed to say became more overgrown. But sometimes you haven’t got the expertise and the time to put work into it. Walking through with Malcom and hearing him talk about all the things that could be done was so exciting.
“We’ve talked for many years about this being a community garden, and this opened up the possibilities for us. It needed to start with somebody who’s got the time and an idea, and it started with them. They didn’t just think it, they acted on it.”
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) Malcolm began working over the school holidays, starting with a renovation of the plant bed area and rebuilding the bandstand.
He recruited his old friend John Hindmoor, who had experience working with gardens, for some assistance.
John said: “Malcolm just asked me if I know about gardening and if I minded doing a few hours work in the school with him. I said alright, and then six weeks later I was painting dragons. It has been the best experience.”
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) After sorting the overgrown trees and plants, they began to add other touches, including painting stones, wooden seating areas, and even installing another gate.
Malcolm said: “It was totally overgrown where they used to play, so we dug all that out, and gravelled it all and cut all the trees back and everything. Everything was totally overgrown, so they couldn’t use it for health and safety reasons.
“It’s all done out now, so they can use it again. It’s made up of new paths, a seating area, and everything they need. The school are absolutely overwhelmed with it.”
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) Caroline said: “A lot of the kids like to go in the garden now at lunchtime, and they don’t need someone to go in with them like they did before.
“I’ve seen them just going in there to enjoy the sunshine and sit on the logs that have been painted. They had a bit of difficulty going in the garden before because the trees were so overgrown. But now they can go in there and sit quite easily.
“It’s getting used a lot more than last year, and the children really enjoy it. We have forest schools in our school, and the children have already been in to do outdoor and adventurous activities in there, and absolutely loved it. That wouldn’t have been possible before.”
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)Malcolm added: “Local businesses donated all the toys for the kids, all the climbing stuff, all the materials. A lot of us lads used to go to that school before they knocked it down so they didn’t mind helping.
“One company dropped ten tonnes of gravel off for us, and we’ve got loads of wood for the fence. They said whatever you want will be delivered, and it was. They donated everything from paint right down to nails and screws.”
Soon, they began working on the grassland and renovating the forestry area, making it safe for the children to explore.
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO) The companies and individuals who donated were: Nurturing Nature, Wyn Construction, Burnell Fencing, Aberline Tree Services, Jazmin Allison, Ian Moss, and Newhouse Club.
The children shared in the enjoyment, as one said their favourite part was the ‘green allotment with the sunflowers’.
Another added that he was looking forward to ‘planting food like pumpkins’, to bake a pumpkin pie.
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John said: “It’s a great example of how something can grow from such a small idea, for the benefit of the whole village.
“It won’t just benefit the children now, but the children who have just started and the ones joining next year and the years after.”
Malcolm added: “It’s been a pleasure doing it for the children and it’s been great everyone doing it together and helping out. Without them lads donating it couldn’t have been done.”
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