Co-op Funeralcare New Ollerton donate £450 to Forest View Academy for garden project

A New Ollerton funeral home has gifted a nearby junior school hundreds of pounds towards the redevelopment of their outdoor space.

Co-op Funeralcare at New Ollerton has donated £450 to Forest View Academy to support its new nature garden project - an amount that was kept secret from the school until staff arrived at the school to present the cheque.

The plans include a multi-functional space which aims to boost learning and play for the pupils, and will also act as a calming space for children with additional learning needs.

As well as nurturing the children’s interest in nature, the garden will grow produce for the school’s kitchen, and the school has plans to install raised beds for growing vegetables and flowers alongside a small orchard and a natural pond, with trees to be planted to encourage biodiversity.

Plans also include a performance staging area and a space for beehives, which the school plans to use to produce its own honey, with assistance from a local beekeeper.

Laura Pepper, Co-op Member Pioneer in New Ollerton, said: “I first reached out to Forest View Academy in April to see if we might be able to support their garden project. The staff were delighted by our offer, and we arranged the cheque handover but chose to keep the donation amount a surprise – it was brilliant to see how stunned the staff and pupils were!”

Emma Stolworthy, Funeral Director at Co-op Funeralcare New Ollerton, added: “We were so happy to be able to help Forest View Academy with their garden project – it's a lovely idea which will hopefully go on to make a huge difference to the wellbeing of its pupils. We can’t wait to see the finished space!”