A FOREST School which brings Princethorpe children closer to nature has been given a new lease of life.
Large parts of the The Forest School at Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School were left out-of-bounds and unsuitable for children due to swathes of overgrown foliage and rotten fencing which had to be removed.
So the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) sought to fix up the space and find replacement fencing to ensure the area could continue to be used safely.
Parents banded together to help cut the overgrown site back, but initial quotes found replacement fencing would have cost thousands of pounds.
The PTA applied to The Wigley Group’s Community Fund (WCF) for help with funding and was told it would just cost £380 – funded entirely through the WCF at a reduced rate which was offered by Wigley supply chain member, PB Forestry and Landscaping.
Kirsty Maclean, who runs the PTA, said: “The fences help to keep children safe but it got to a point where it was so rotten, we had to remove it.
“We tried a number of companies and the first quote we had was about £5,000 and that would have completely wiped out our funds.
“But now, we can use that money for other things that the children need to support their education and give them a rounded school experience.
“It is fantastic and much safer for the children. The kids absolutely love it and we are really lucky to have that space.”
The Forest School provides children with hands-on experiences of the natural world, and is also used for a summer gardening club.
PB Forestry also donated wood chipping to give it a smart new look, and Clarke & Strong Ltd provided weed matting.
Headteacher Catherine Burch said: “We now have an amazing multifunctional space that not only looks great, but is also safe and secure.
“In the short time that the fencing has been erected it has served as a venue for Forest School, nature club and lunchtime book club. I know that it will continue to bring joy and enhance our learning environment for many years.”
The donation forms part of a £5,000 funding pot in the latest round of the WCF, which supports causes within a five-mile radius of The Wigley Group’s HQ in Stockton.
Applications for the next round of funding open in September. Visit https://tinyurl.com/mznd6x53 for more information.
