Wathalls Support School Garden Project
Derby and Ashbourne family-owned funeral directors G Wathall & Son have donated a table bench to Becket Primary School in the city centre to enhance their newly-created community garden.
The firm, whose Derby offices in Macklin Street are close to the school, recently delivered the wooden circular table and bench for use by the pupils, families and members of the local community to enjoy in the school grounds. Becket Primary School was, earlier this year, awarded £6,000 from the National Lottery to buy a poly tunnel, upgrade raised beds and buy seeds and materials for the community garden.
Pupils and the local community are now growing salad vegetables and hanging basket flowers which they plan to sell and use in school meals. They are also growing ‘rocket’ seeds from the International Space Station as part of the UK Space Agency and RHS Campaign for School Gardening. Teacher and Extended Schools Coordinator at Becket Primary School, Jane Flewitt, explained: “The community garden is a great resource for all of our pupils – teaching them where food comes from, encouraging healthy eating and also developing their maths skills through weighing out and selling the produce. “It is early days and we are hoping to get more extended families and the local community involved in the project as word spreads about what we are doing. “We are very grateful for the table and bench donated by G Wathall & Son who have been very supportive of the school over the years. This has now taken pride of place in the garden and is a great place for pupils and visitors to sit and relax.”
Joan Henchliffe from G Wathall & Son concluded: “We have always been very impressed with Becket Primary School’s proactive efforts to involve the whole local community in school life and were keen to support them again in this great project.”
The community garden will be officially launched at the school’s community day on July 22 as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations. Picture shows, from left: Joan Henchliffe, G Wathall & Son; Becket pupils Nathan Hopwell (7), Isobel Baker (6) and Tom Barker (10) with teacher Jane Flewitt.