Award for Litton Cheney school's wetland project (From Thisisdorset)
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Award for Litton Cheney school's wetland project
3:53pm Friday 15th February 2013 in Latest By Anne Bell
Thorners School gets an award from Wessex Water
A Bride Valley school has won a Wessex Watermark to help build its pond dipping platform for the school’s new Wetland Area. Wessex Water’s Paul Coggin visited Thorners School’s Discovery Area when he met parents, teachers and children to hand over their £350 Wessex Watermark Award.
An acre of overgrown brambles has been reclaimed by a group of families, staff and children and transformed into a forest garden, a science zone and a flower garden.
Since the start of the project in 2010 they have cleared the Litton Cheney school’s large overgrown space and with the help of the Dorset Wildlife Trust, successfully planned how to turn the acre both into a wildlife haven and an exciting outdoor learning space.
“Nothing we could teach about biodiversity and ecology in a classroom could possibly be as riveting as working and playing in our Discovery Area,” said parent Mickey Bonome.
“It is the perfect environment for the children to learn and feel part of their natural world. We want the Discovery Area to become the heart of the school and by being involved from the start our children and families have developed a real sense of responsibility while having fun planning and reclaiming the school’s wild acre. We are delighted with this support from Wessex Water for a project that is going to grow and grow.”
The Watermark Award provides funds for environmental projects within the Wessex Water area. Organised by The Conservation Foundation, all projects are judged by a panel chaired by its President David Bellamy.
