A new sensory garden and playground has been developed for communities in Buttington and Trewern with help from Powys Nature Partnership funding.
The joint project was undertaken by Buttington Trewern School, the Trewern Community Council and the community centre in Trewern to create a fully inclusive, sensory garden and playground, incorporating a range of interactive elements to stimulate and engage the senses.
The garden was funded by three grants; an All Wales Play Opportunities Grant to pay for sensory play equipment, a COVID recovery grant to purchase the shade sail and a Powys Nature Partnership grant to help pay for planters, plants/seeds/bulbs, a water butt and gardening equipment.
The project was coordinated by volunteers Fiona Warburton (Chair of Buttington Trewern School Governors) and Mike Bates (School Governor) who worked with local volunteers over the summer to build the garden.
‘We are delighted to have secured funding for this exciting community project which brought together school governors, community councillors and other members of our community to create a special place for everyone,’ says Fiona.
‘Children at the school, the local playgroup and all members of the community have access to the garden and its sensory play equipment. I am very proud of the space we have created.’
The project was made possible through the help of volunteers from the local communities, including teachers, school governors, their families and community councillors.
The garden is located within the community grounds adjacent to the Community Centre so all pupils at the school and residents from the local communities have access to the garden and have already been using it for a range of wellbeing and nature activities.
‘It is the first time that either Fiona or I have created anything like this,’ says volunteer coordinator and school Governor Mike Bates. ‘We took a while to get started as local garden centres were closed during the second lockdown, just at the time we needed to purchase the plants and the planters.’
There were also donations of wood bark chippings and topsoil from local businesses.
‘We were fortunate to be supported by local businesses including Pave Aways who donated all of the soil and Hanson Aggregates who generously gave us the gravel for the accessible path,’ added Mike.
An open day was held in 2021 to celebrate the garden. Councillor Amanda Jenner attended and made this video to showcase the garden.
The project is a great example of collaboration working, and how taking time to consider nature in your community project and collaborating with your Local Nature Partnership can help you achieve your project goals.
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