Green-fingered pupils at Woodbury Primary School are enjoying a new-look garden after National Grid and their contractors Laing O’Rourke pitched in to carry out a Ground Force-style makeover.
And to ensure their new space is as environmentally-friendly as possible, many of the features in the garden have been created using material recycled from the gas pipeline that National Grid is building from Aylesbeare to Kenn.
The pipeline is part of a major project to ensure the National Transmission System has sufficient capacity to meet the West Country’s growing demand for energy and also to supply the new power station at Langage, near Plymouth.
Members of the project team visited the school last year to give a series of presentations to the pupils explaining the nature of the work and stressing key safety messages about roads and construction sites. And when the school made contact again this year asking if someone could help with their garden, National Grid and Laing O’Rourke were only too happy to help.
National Grid senior project manager Ian Sarson said: “Woodbury Primary School became our neighbour when we started the pipeline project and we always try to support our neighbours when we begin work like this.
“When we heard that the school needed some help to give the children a natural, environmental garden to assist their learning, we were keen to take up the challenge.
“A team of us have constructed a garden to the children's design and, following the environmental theme, the majority of the materials used in the garden were reclaimed from the pipeline working area and recycled as features in the garden."
The work has involved reclaiming a redundant waste area and reconstructing and landscaping it, creating a pond and seating, installing a new pathway and fencing and erecting a shed for the changing area of the swimming pool.
Broken wooden panels used by the project to cover road holes (‘bog mats’) were used to form raised beds and broken fencing and posts were placed into a giant chipper – known as ‘The Beast’ – to make mulch.
Eleven project members, including a carpenter, completed the bulk of the work in half-term week and the garden was then left to establish itself. The team then went back to complete the seating and storage areas.
National Grid has also donated plants, bought from a local supplier, and the children will plant the garden out as part of an interactive lesson.
Headteacher Nigel Tancock said: “The project has been a huge success, not only does the new garden provide a rich and diverse learning environment, but it also clearly demonstrates the benefits of using recycled materials in a creative and practical way.
“The children are really excited about the garden, especially seeing their ideas transformed into reality, and are already planning various ways to use it. Our eager young school librarians have identified the shaded seating area as a suitable location for outdoor story time sessions and enthusiastic members of the gardening club are keen to be involved with planting, clipping and weeding.
“We have been working on the garden for some time and due to the efforts of staff, children and governors, we were making steady progress but thanks to the support of the pipeline team, a tremendous amount has been achieved very quickly – the transformation has been amazing.”
National Grid is committed to working with the local community during the course of the pipeline project. There is a dedicated Community Relations team which can be contacted on 0800 783 2581.
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For further media information please contact Caroline Davidson on 07785 254696.