Encirc team helps transform biodiversity learning space at Cheshire school

Encirc has helped a local school in Helsby near Chester to transform part of their main playground into what will now be used as a key biodiversity learning space for their new after-school enrichment club which begins in September.

Elton’s Health, Safety and Environmental team and members of the Biodiversity Committee spent two days volunteering at Hornsmill Primary School as part of the project in collaboration with local company Allium Green Space.

The project included removing an old, unused border and building a new 20m long raised sleeper bed, suitable for cultivating a variety of plants.

The Elton HSE team were primarily tasked with digging out post holes, laying and drilling the timber sleepers and securing with concrete.

On day two, Biodiversity Committee members removed bamboo from existing soil, sealed the wood, and laid nearly six tonnes of topsoil.

This area will be the focus of an after-school club beginning in September. Run by local charity Passion for Learning, the club will be centered around educating pupils on the wonders of gardening and growing their own fruit and vegetables. It aims to involve disadvantaged children who may not get the chance to learn about this at home.

All told, this was a great display of teamwork and collaboration.

Fiacre O’Donnell, Sustainability Director at Encirc commented: “What great initiative has been shown by the team at Elton with this project. We have a very successful schools project at our site in Derrylin, Northern Ireland which has been going for several years now and it is heartening to see that now expanding to our Cheshire site.

“Projects like this are so important to schools, we know that resources are so tight in the educational sector, and it is crucial to be able to help these schools while also delivering a strong message on the importance of sustainability and biodiversity.

“It also shows how collaborating with local companies can help deliver better and more impactful projects. Well done to all involved”

Aimee Brown, chair of the Elton Biodiversity Committee added: “The project has been a great success and was a brilliant team building day for everyone involved. Allium Green Space did a superb job in ensuring the project was completed to a high standard. I would like to thank everyone who took part for their enthusiasm and hard work – this space will certainly have a positive impact on the school and local area for years to come”.