The past two years have made us all realise how important outdoor spaces and gardens are to us for our mental wellbeing. So, when the Small Grants Committee of the Trust received an application from the Special Educational Needs Coordinator at Filton Avenue Primary School asking for financial help so they could create a sensory garden and a herb garden for their sensory and autistic pupils, the Trust wanted to help.
There is already a small school garden that usually involves the fifty ‘nurture and thrive’ intervention pupils. These have been recognised as disadvantaged with many of them having experienced early trauma resulting in emotional and social needs. The school now would like to create a sensory garden and the pupils have got involved with this project. The two pictures show what the area currently looks like and what the children want! They intend to paint the tyres themselves and have even suggested bringing articles from home to use on the sensory wall. The nurture and thrive pupils have also got involved as they want to plant herbs such as mint and lavender.
Planning these gardens has become a project for many at the school and there is going to be a competition for the children to name their new garden. The Trust has asked that the award of £250 goes towards some much-needed gardening equipment and an outdoor container to hold the seed trays. When the garden is completed, there are plans to offer parent support classes in which parents are invited in to work and play with their children.