A PRIMARY school in Ashton-under-Lyne is setting the standard when it comes to thinking more greener.
Parochial Primary’s latest project is building a new home for tired old hens – which has been nicknamed Peckingham Palace!
The Keppel Street school is using a £1,500 grant from Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s eco-grants for schools scheme to construct a large coop for hens that used to live in battery cages.
It’s part of a green oasis in what has been described as an ‘unloved’ corner of the grounds, where pots had to be used if the pupils wanted to grow anything.
The green corner already includes a pond that’s used as a reflection area, tying in with the school’s Church of England ethos.
“We have a group of very eco-conscious children here at Parochial,” said head teacher Louise Thompson.
“The chickens project will support their understanding and knowledge of where food comes from, and the importance of reducing waste.
“They’ll learn about the sustainability of production, farming processes, and the many roles there are in getting food from farm to fork.
“Last year, we won Nature Parks funding that allowed us to take three spaces out of the car park. Now, in what was a grassless area, we have a small allotment where we’re cultivating vegetables like beetroot and peas.”
The fox-proof coop is being built by the school’s caretaker Dean Ryan and will be big enough for the children to get inside to take care of the hens.
An initial consignment of three chickens is due to arrive for the start of the new school year in September and it’s hoped that, with care, they will fluff up and gradually regain their energy over time.
Any eggs they produce will be donated to Parochial’s foodbank or used in food technology lessons.
“I think Parochial’s chicken coop project is a superb idea,” said Councillor Laura Boyle, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neighbourhoods.
“At Tameside Council, we encourage everyone to think green and they really are doing.
“Too many of us take our food for granted, giving no thought to how it appears in supermarkets or on our plates. This scheme will educate children in the full production process, while also allowing them to care for the hens and bring them back to health.
“I’m sure Peckingham Palace will prove to be a right royal success.”
