Our allotment story - huge thanks!

Thank you all so much for your donations, our allotment has undergone a huge transformation this term. We have achieved so much more than we thought was possible, thanks to the generosity of your donations!

A little over 18 months ago we inherited an unloved and under-used area just off the school playing fields. With the help of volunteers we uncovered three large raised beds and put them to good use. We developed a little allotment, followed very quickly by a fence, a newly planted hedge around the whole area (420 trees!) a greenhouse and an outdoor classroom. OWL was formed and all children now benefit from outdoor opportunities in the allotment and forest areas.

We soon realised we need more growing space, our project had gone so well. Now was the time seasonally to make changes and we asked you for help - and you responded.

We raised enough donations to re-plan the whole allotment. The children and staff have been very busy building and carrying. We now have seven large raised beds all topped with good quality growing soil and new shelving in the greenhouse, allowing for more seedlings. We have revamped and made a potting and work area, composting store and a dry wood store for our classroom fuel. We have even created a 'tree nursery' allowing selected saplings to be nurtured before planting. We have replaced our leaky tool shed roof with a clear waterproof one - allowing daylight in. We have re-purposed the old sleepers from the old beds to make seating for a whole class in our reflection garden, allowing story telling and other classes to use the space, as well as creating a calm area for relaxing after a busy day's gardening.

We topped the whole lot off with donated wood chip, making the area look brilliant and a joy to be in. The site is now fully accessible with large pathways between beds and much easier to work in in groups.

Thank you from all of us, we couldn't have done it without your help.

The story in pictures:

The site we inherited

It was unloved and in need of a rescue!

Volunteers helped us uncover three raised beds

We added some TLC and this was the little allotment in the summer of 2020

We had success with our crops

After we had harvested, we started the transformation

The children helped build the new raised beds

They helped tidy and move soil from the paths too

And just like that, they had helped make seven new raised beds.

We made a log store for the classroom fuel

We made a new potting and composting area

We topped off our soil with fresh new compost

We put a new roof on the tool shed

We created a wood store

We added new shelving to the greenhouse, allowing for more growing and better air circulation

And we even made a new water butt out of an old shipping barrel

We can't wait to start growing again, thanks so much!