The Bishop’s School in Springfield has received a grant from our Community Fund having applied for £2,500 through Essex Community Foundation.
The school has used the funds to further develop their Food Forest, a previously unused patch of land in their grounds that has been developed into a herb and fruit-filled wonderland. With much of the work completed by the school’s own Gardening Club, it is being used to teach children about sustainability, biodiversity and healthy eating, amongst many other skills.
“The lessons being taught here have applications in all other school subjects,” said project lead Mrs Stonestreet. “Plus, we’re outdoors and the setting is more relaxing so there are other mental health benefits too.”
Parents and teachers are encouraged to make use of the garden, picking fresh herbs or fruit when it is available rather than needing to buy from the shop, and it is proving extremely popular, spawning an instagram page (@BishopsFoodForest) to catalogue growth and progress. An allotment patch is next on the agenda, where vegetables will be added to the ever growing list of foods in the forest.
For more information on the school and its local work, visit The Bishops School. For more information on our Community Fund, please click here.