Planting the idea of the power of nature
By Rebecca Maer
A row of excited faces appeared over the railings. Wellies were on and the crowd of children were raring to go.
Four and five-year-olds from Gildredge House School lined up along rose borders in the heart of Eastbourne's Old Town.
They listened carefully to organiser and community champion Antonia Lucas explaining how they would be tucking tulip bulbs into their winter beds so they could flower next spring.
Bulb in hand, each excited child bent down to place it carefully in a trench before sprinkling ‘fairy dust’ on them and treading the soil into place.
It’s the eighth year the tulip planting has taken place in an initiative to involve young schoolchildren in greening Eastbourne.
The planting was in flowerbeds on the High Street at the steps to one of the entrances to Manor Gardens.
“It’s all about joining up the dots for a community strategy that will glow up the place,” said Antonia.
She is keen to involve children and parents from Gildredge House more closely in planting and maintaining the park, which is opposite the school. One of the aims is to help young families get to know each other as their children start school.
Cllr Kathy Ballard, who represents Upperton ward on Eastbourne Borough Council, said: “I would like to see closer relations between the school and the rest of the community – and the children really enjoy this.”
Jules Woodward of Seeds4Kids, part of the Treebourne tree-planting project in Eastbourne, ensured the soil was levelled over the bulbs.
She said: “We’re trying to educate children about why trees and plants are so important.”
Also at the planting was Poppy Lakeman Fraser, citizen science project manager at Imperial College, who lives in Eastbourne. She is involved in Nature In Our Hands, aimed at young people.
“It’s about connecting young people with the natural environment. We really want to support this type of community cohesion.”
The children will take a spring walk in a few months, hopefully in sunshine, to see the tulips in flower and visit St Mary’s Church opposite.
:: This journalism takes time and care to produce. If you think it is more interesting than reading PR handouts presented as ‘news’, support us. One-off donations are here or become a member here.
