A new school project in Dorset is bringing together beekeeping, gardening, and community outreach.
The Let It Grow project has launched at Glenmoor and Winton Academies in Bournemouth.
It aims to support student wellbeing and foster stronger community connections through sustainable beekeeping, therapeutic gardening and community involvement.
Wellbeing Garden. (Image: Warrior Agency)
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Amy Foster, head of Bee Mission, one of the project partners, said: “The bees are settling in really well; there’s just one hive but about 25,000 bees at the moment and that number’s growing every day.
“We’re super excited about doing hive demonstrations with the pupils, we’ve got plans to bring in the honey spinner, and we’ll be serving the honey produced by the hive in the school cafeteria too.
“It’s a great way to educate the kids on the importance of bees and why we should be looking after them.”
Bee Mission, a Bournemouth-based CIC, has installed professional beehives on site and will be supporting students and staff to manage these safely and successfully.
The project also includes two outdoor learning and wellbeing spaces: a Wellbeing Garden and a Community Garden.
Angelina Parker, Gavin Darwin, Keira Darwin and Ryan Masterman outside Community Garden. (Image: Warrior Agency)
Angelina Parker, vice principal at Glenmoor and Winton Academies, said: “We are very excited to have launched ‘Let it Grow’ officially and to partner with a local organisation in Bee Mission to install our new beehives.
“Across the curriculum and in our work with students, we always look for opportunities to bring learning to life for students and to offer a rich education with character.”
The Wellbeing Garden, designed by Cheryl Needham of Grounded Community in Boscombe, will feature therapeutic and healing plants, aromatic herbs, and a wildflower woodland walk to create a full sensory, calming environment for students.
The Community Garden, featuring a relocated poly tunnel and active growing beds, will offer an additional space for local families and neighbours to enjoy.
Gavin Darwin, deputy safeguarding lead at the academies and project lead for the Community Garden, said: “We want the Community Garden to be a real hub for local families and residents.
“Our goal is to open it up so that it becomes a place where people can come in, even during the holidays, to help us maintain the land and grow it.”
With better weather on the horizon, the team is encouraging residents to donate unused plant pots to support seedling growth in the gardens.
The public will have a chance to see the project in action at the academies’ Eco Summer Festival on Friday, June 26 from 3pm onwards.
For more information about the festival, contact the school office on 01202 527818 or email info@glenmoorandwinton.org.uk.
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