The Barker-Mill Foundation has donated £2,000 towards Foxhills Infant School fundraising project for a new trim trail and £1,000 to Newlands Primary School to help fund the installation of a rainbow garden space. Both schools have embarked on various fundraising activities to improve and create new outside spaces which will enhance pupils’ experiences and provide new learning environments. The donations from the Barker-Mill Foundation take them both one step closer to their targets.
Foxhills Infant school in Ashurst will be refurbishing their existing trim trail which the pupils are unable to use in its current condition due to Health and Safety guidelines. The school, which teaches 177 pupils ranging in ages from 4 – 7 years, has been selling ice creams and hosted a sponsored trip to Tokyo for the pupils, amongst other fundraising efforts, in order to raise £11,000 to replace the trail.
Lucy Howe, head spokesperson for Foxhill Infant school, said: “Over the past year we have been working hard towards our fundraising target to replace the trim trail. It is a wonderful feeling to have finally achieved this and a huge testament to the pupils, teachers, parents and local organisations, including the Barker-Mill Foundation, who helped us to reach this goal. The refurbishments have now bee complete and pupils have been benefitting enormously as it helps them to learn perseverance, balance and how to work as a team. It is great fun and is an amazing addition to our current outdoor play facilities.”
Newlands Primary School in Millbrook is also currently fundraising to install a Rainbow Garden on their school grounds. Currently in the early stages of planning, the space will be joining the schools on-site sensory garden which is being built in memory of a late member of staff. The school, which teaches 400 pupils from ages 4 – 11 years, is looking to install the Rainbow Garden as a reminder of the positive memories that have been made at the school throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The garden which the school is aiming to install by Spring 2022, will also be a place where the children can learn about nurturing plants and ‘grow their own’.
Karen Mellor, Head Teacher at Newlands Primary School, said: “We wanted to install a feature at the school, post-lockdowns, to build new memories and help our children to learn about growing plants and vegetables and nurturing nature. Many of our pupils remained at school during times of lockdown due to their parents being key workers and other various reasons so we wanted to look back on those memories as positive times of growth and togetherness. The kind donation we have received from The Barker-Mill Foundation will help us enormously to reach our target of £5000 along with generous donations from other local community groups and our own rainbow non-uniform day. We are planning on holding further fundraising events in order to reach this total over the course of autumn term.”
Simon Barker, Trustee of the Barker-Mill Foundation, said: “It has been a difficult eighteen months for us all, and particularly for children with the disruption it has caused to their education. We appreciate how important outside learning is, so it is fantastic that both Foxhill Infant School and Newlands Primary School are embarking on exciting projects to enhance the outdoor space for their young pupils to enjoy and we’re delighted to have been able to contribute.”