Youngsters create new garden to grow their school’s horticultural efforts

BUDDING student gardeners have created their very own vegetable patch to mark their school’s foray into horticulture.

Youngsters at the Fenland Learning Centre decided to turn part of their bare Algores Way site into a blooming two-acre garden complete with flowers, plants and grow-your-own vegetables.

The school for children with special educational needs now not only gives students a picturesque area to sit and enjoy but is also part of a serious bid to start a horticulture business and teach the subject to more youngsters.

It is hoped the area will enable 35 people to study gardening by 2013.

Design and technology teacher Nick Mitchell said: “Because it was quite a barren site, it was conceived that we wanted to double the area of our green space that could be used for relaxation.

“This allows the students somewhere to sit and chill, as well as develop the area for horticulture classes.”

The centre, which becomes part of the Trinity School in September, bagged �2,000 of funding from the Elizabeth Wright Charity Trust to build the first phase of the project, opened by former head Janet Copeland on Tuesday (July 17) as part of the Anglia in Bloom judging taking place on the same day.

It is seeking funding for the second phase of the project which will allow it establish a permanent horticultural working area.

Mr Mitchell added: “The young people have been very positive about the garden, have put their best into creating it and it is something the value.”