Come and enjoy our new garden

Date published: 23 June 2009

A new school and community garden will be officially opened at St Mary's Primary School in Hawkshaw on Thursday (June 25).

Pupils played a major role in transforming an overgrown area into an attractive place for locals to sit and enjoy the view.

The garden will also be a safe place for pre-school children to play during out-of-school hours, and an outdoor classroom for Class 1 pupils. The school will also grow vegetables, herbs and fruit there.

Funding has come from Pilsworth Environmental Company (£10,000), Bury Council’s parks and leisure (£3,000), Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor Local Area Partnership (£1,000), and the council’s extended services division (£1,000).

The garden will be officially opened by retiring caretaker Mr Jack Rumford on his last day with the school. Refreshments are available, to the sounds of the school choir.

Geraldine Woodward, head teacher at St Mary’s, said: “All the children came up with designs for the garden, and the school’s Eco-rangers took the lead in planting herbs and fruit bushes.

“Hawkshaw is beautiful and boasts spectacular views. This will be a wonderful garden where local residents can sit and also be a safe area for our youngsters to play in.”