Volnuteer It Yourself and students at Newark Orchard School work on sensory garden with support from Newark and Sherwood District Council
Students at a Newark school have volunteered their time to create a sensory garden.
Students at Newark Orchard School have been working hard with Volunteer it Yourself to create a sensory garden at the school site on London Road.
The new garden will allow the school to combine learning with the outdoors as well as create a space that the students can enjoy.
The project was able to go ahead with the support of funding received from Newark and Sherwood District Council as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Matt Lamb, director of regeneration and growth at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for a group of young people to learn vital skills, gain experience and work towards qualifications. It’s crucial we continue championing and supporting the younger generations in finding a meaningful career they will enjoy. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished garden in the early summer.
“Newark and Sherwood District Council is keen to maximise every opportunity to apply for central government funding which enhances our district for the benefit of our community. We remain committed to doing all we can to make our district an even better place to visit, live and work.”
Together, Volunteer It Yourself and the students have transformed a previously under-utilised space and prepared the surface to install hardcore pathway around the perimeter and in the centre of the garden.
They also built bespoke seating and child-friendly planters in the garden, ensuring the space is fully accessible to all students.
Kate Fell at Newark Orchard School, said: "This project has been ongoing for the last two years and through the support of Volunteer It Yourself and Newark and Sherwood District Council, it has finally started to come together. It has been a privilege to watch our students work with the incredible Volunteer It Yourself mentors to develop in confidence and skill and prove to themselves that they can make a real difference to our school community. Our new sensory garden will provide a crucial space to allow our students to learn beyond the classroom walls. We can't wait to get it finished.”
The project has enabled the young volunteers to develop vital new skills and accreditations that can help them pursue a future career or interest, in addition to providing students at the school with valuable space that they can take pride in.
It is expected that the garden will be finished in the early summer, following the completion of the final stages of work that are currently in progress.
Volunteer It Yourself is an organisation that challenges young people, aged 14 to 24, to regenerate community spaces whilst learning new vocational skills, mentored by professional tradespeople.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is providing £2.6 billion of new funding that local authorities were able to bid for and invest in their districts and boroughs by March 2025.
In December 2022, it was announced the council had successfully secured £3.28m to allocate to eligible organisations.