Creating vibrant green spaces for our pupils and community

Over the summer, Friarswood was delighted to welcome volunteers from DHL who came to help with maintenance of our Environmental Garden in the quad. The school’s Eco Warriors have been working hard to keep on top of the weeds that have inevitably been trying to make a comeback in the holidays.

Friarswood is lucky enough to have Matt Linley-Simon as our Academy Community Pioneer. Pioneers work in every Co-op Academy to help to bring our community strategy to life; identifying the needs of the community and supporting these being met, with a particular focus on family support and youth work.

Matt is also head gardener at the local community orchard, and arranged for the DHL team to sweep in and carefully weed, mow, and cut new beds. Our gardens are becoming a welcoming community space. With two apple trees already in place, the team have now added three new beds and have made a start populating the area with reclaimed plants from the quad: strawberries, rhubarb, blackberries and mint.

Jon Harwood, a DHL volunteer, said:

“We joined Matt at Friarswood to take advantage of the school holidays to do some maintenance in the community garden. As it turned out, the maintenance became a quite extensive work out because of the number of tree roots! At the end of the session the three of us left with aching bodies but smiles on our faces that we had helped to create something that will give lots of pleasure to the pupils at the Academy.”

Jon Harwood, a DHL volunteer

On returning to school from the Summer holidays, Headteacher Lindsey Wilmer, added:

“Thank you so much for the hard work in the community garden. It's really starting to take shape now. The children are so excited about the community herb garden. It's going to be a wonderful addition for our families and local community.”

Headteacher Lindsey Wilmer

Matt wants to say a big thank you to the volunteers:

“DHL have once again helped us to continue developing our environment, making it a welcoming space not only for the children but for local wildlife, and now the local community as well. It’s a real credit to them and the school.”

Matt Linley-Simon, Academy Community Pioneer.

Over time, the public will be able to visit, gather fruit, and simply relax in the welcoming environment.