Thanks to another wonderful donation from our local resident supporters Maggie and Douglas, Reception Class and Year 2 got to share their classrooms with some Great Pond Snails today! According to the 'Freshwater Habitats Trust', there are about 40 different kinds of water snails in Britain, varying in size when fully grown from the tiny Nautilus Ram’s-horn – just 2 or 3 mm across – to the Great Pond Snail which grows up to 4 cm.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society, during the past century, nearly 70 percent of ponds have been lost from the UK countryside, meaning garden ponds and water features play an increasingly important role for wildlife. Adding or maintaining a pond in your garden is one of the best things you can do for wildlife! A pond is an attractive feature in any garden and, with a little thought about its design and construction, can also be a haven for wildlife such as birds, frogs, newts, dragonflies, pond snails and even mammals such as hedgehogs.
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This week saw a wonderful addition to the school garden, a beautiful new wooden bench which has been generously donated by The Farnham Lions Club. Support in whatever form is always hugely appreciated by the school and the Busy Bees team and we can't wait to enjoy a cup of tea on it at our upcoming "Big Easter Dig" event on Wednesday 13th April - will you be joining us? The bench has been included in the design of the garden to allow pupils, staff and volunteers to take a moment to reflect on their day and enjoy some quiet, calm time. We hope the pupils make a lot of use of it!
Today saw the moment of truth for the sweet peas sowed by Year 2 and the Eco Club back in February. They finally made it out into the garden and were potted up by pupils from Year 2, assisted by Christina, one of our local resident volunteers who helped pass on her amazing sweet pea knowledge to us all. Fingers crossed for lots of sweet blooms this summer.
Alex and some pupils helped to install the workings of our new “dead hedge”, a wonderful insect habitat and feeding ground for mammals such as hedgehogs in the wildlife pond enclosure which is now also host to some very healthy looking frogspawn which the children all loved looking at today. Watch this space! 🐸 🐸 If you are keen to come along and help the children get involved in the school garden on a Thursday afternoon please just get in contact, no gardening knowledge is necessary! Today we had the wonderful Erica and Juliet join us in the garden from Farnham based Community Interest Company, Hive Helpers. Hive Helpers is based on the Surrey and Hampshire border, with sites in and around Farnham. As a Community Interest Company, they operate in the interests of the community to provide an ecotherapy-based wellness service to adults and children through beekeeping and nature conservation activities. Running a twice weekly youth club and apiary at the Farnham Community Farm, the team keep themselves busy but are always looking for ways in which to engage children in conservation. Erica and Juliet joined us to discuss how Busy Bees and Hive Helpers could work together in the future to enhance the educational sessions that we offer to pupils through the school garden and to pass on some of their wildlife wisdom. We have lots of exciting ideas in the pipeline as a result of their visit, from newt hibernation habitats to bumblebee nesting sites and would like to pass on our thanks to Erica and Juliet for giving us their time today! We hope to get them back to the school in the summer to run some outdoor classes for the pupils on honey bees and wild bees. Watch this space! For more information on what Hive Helpers do, please visit their website at https://www.hivehelpers.co.uk or drop them an email: [email protected] Year 3 were down at the wildlife pond enclosure today doing their bit on 'World Wildlife Day'.
One of our amazing volunteers Alex and the children helped give the buddleia a spring prune and clear the brambles off the main path around the pond, adding the cuttings and fallen leaves to our "critter corner". This has not only helped improve access for lessons and pond dipping later in the year but has also added some valuable vegetation to our wildlife corner which is left for wildlife to use. Alex has plans for a wonderful new "dead hedge" to be installed in the corner in a few weeks time. Meanwhile, Flora helped the pupils plant a beautiful new swathe of snowdrops 'in the green' which we have been donated by two of our wonderful local supporters from the village and which will benefit queen bumblebees next spring. Finally the class planted three sacks of lovely first crop potatoes which will be ready for harvesting and cooking in the summer term. Bring on the sunshine! Volunteer session - Thursday 3rd March 1pm - 3pm
“Spuds and Buds” session being led by Amanda Thain. Are you keen to get involved in the school garden as the weather warms? Amanda Thain will be running a session for Year 3 pupils on 3rd March to get their potatoes planted, the numerous buddleia across the school grounds pruned and lots of others jobs done in the garden. No gardening experience necessary, we would love you to get involved and come and enjoy the fun! Please let either Amanda, Flora Rigg or Sarah Womersley know if you would like to hear more. |
Sarah WomersleyBusy Bees Gardening & Wildlife Club Volunteer Archives
October 2023
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