A STALYBRIDGE primary school is giving its pupils a close-up education after opening a new garden.
Millbrook Primary and Nursery has unveiled Elizabeth’s Garden, an outdoor learning space designed to help children understand where their food comes from.
It is named after Elizabeth Way Funeral Directors, whose £1,000 donation through their Community Assistance Programme made the project possible.
And the funding has been used to build a chicken coop and establish vegetable growing plots as part of the school’s “Grow Your Own Grub” initiative.
Elizabeth’s Garden is expected to be used throughout the year, with pupils being involved in planting, tending crops and looking after the chickens, helping to develop practical life skills and ensuring it becomes an integral part of school life for years to come.
Parents and carers have also volunteered their time to help to build the coop and vegetable plots.
“Elizabeth’s Garden provides a wonderful opportunity for our children to learn outdoors and develop a real understanding of where food comes from,” said Sophie Davis, forest lead at Millbrook Primary, which is based on Bank Road.
“We are extremely grateful for the support that helped bring this vision to life,”
Representatives from Elizabeth Way Funeral Directors said they were delighted to support a project that benefits local children and encourages education around healthy eating and environmental awareness.
The opening was followed by a highly successful chicken design competition with prizes donated by Elizabeth Way.
The school’s Forest Ambassadors helped select the winners and Grayson (Year 2) won first place for Millbeak, Hettie (Year 1) came second with Leia and Robyn (Year 4) took third place with Clover.
A fourth chicken was named Pauline, in recognition of the donor who helped fund the chickens’ return.
