Eco’s Charlotte Haswell (third right) and Ben Parnell, Glenmoor’s Headteacher (third left) with Matt Bell, Forest School Manager; Heather Johnson, Forest School Leader, and students Reece Beavis and Jaye Spencer.
A project to grow and sell fruit and vegetables is taking root at a Dorset school thanks to the generosity of a Christchurch recycling company.
Eco Sustainable Solutions has donated 10 tonnes of its Super Soil product to Winton and Glenmoor School in Bournemouth.
Worth £600, the soil is being used to convert a quarter of an acre into an area for growing crops. The land was previously used to grow food and also raise chickens but had become obsolete in the last year.
Once finished, the land will have 11 raised beds and also a polytunnel.
Students from Year 7 up to Year 11 are involved in the new project which is part of the Centre of Outdoor Learning (CoOL).
Heather Johnson, Forest School Leader, said: “The area will be used to grow and sell crops in school. This will eventually become self-funding and provide produce for the school kitchen.
“The project allows students who are struggling in school to achieve and have a positive attitude and outcome. It will be ongoing and, hopefully, grow into a larger enterprise.”
The soil was presented to Winton and Glenmoor School by ex-student Charlotte Haswell, now Eco’s Business Account Handler. She was returning to her former school for the first time since 2003.
“This is a great project and we’re very pleased to be able to help,” said Charlotte.
Ben Parnell, Headteacher, described the Eco donation as “fantastic.”
He added: “We’re very grateful to Eco Sustainable Solutions for such a generous donation.”
Winton and Glenmoor School is also involved with a project to raise funds for an orchard.
Fruitshare is headed by writer, broadcaster and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall with the aim of inspiring children to grow fruit trees at school.
Winton and Glenmoor School is hoping to raise £250 to pay for a pack of 20 fruit trees.
Donations are welcome at:
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/the-federation-of-glenmoor-winton-arts-media-college/
The fruit project also has a twitter feed at @cooloutdoor
