Green-fingered pupils dig deep to transform garden
Green-fingered youngsters have turned a weed-ridden patch of land into a blossoming communal garden, to the delight of elderly residents.
An overgrown patch, collecting thorns and weeds and catching litter, at the top of Fairfield Avenue had become a concern for residents.
Pupils from the gardening club at South Parade Primary School, on Fairfield Road, arrived at the patch last autumn with an impact team from Wakefield and District Housing (WDH), to cut back the grass, collect fallen leaves, clear paving stones and plant bulbs.
They also helped to restore three benches that had been lost in the undergrowth, and recycled tree stumps which have now become bird tables, to encourage wildlife to flourish.
And with the garden now in full bloom, the children returned this week to see the fruits of their labour.
Local resident Alma Walton, 75, said the work has made a massive difference.
She said: "It was all overgrown – the grass was as tall as some of the children. Litter had collected in the bushes and twigs, so something needed to be done.
"The impact team came along and got rid of the unsightly stuff that had come to obscure some of my neighbours' views, and I provided the children with bulbs to plant.
"And now it's like we have a totally new garden to enjoy – I can't thank them enough."
South Parade pupil Chloe Besaw, 10, said: "The garden looks really nice now. I've enjoyed working on it.
"I'll be leaving to go to comprehensive school after summer but I'll be coming back to check that it remains tidy."
Residents said thank you by baking cakes and snacks for the children.
They were given a bag of treats including an Easter egg from WDH, who also gave a 20 voucher to the school to help support the gardening club.
Colin Oldroyd, 80, head of the garden club, said "We want the children to be hands-on and learning new things, which we have seen as they have been growing their own vegetables."
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Weather for Wakefield
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 0 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
