Children 'thrilled' after Sunderland-based AESC bring forest school and garden back to life

Children at the school had not been able to use the garden area for two years.
By Neil Fatkin
Published 19th Apr 2024, 10:52 BST
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The headteacher at a special school has thanked Sunderland-based business AESC UK Ltd for bringing the school’s forest garden “back to life” and leaving the children “absolutely thrilled” with their new facility.

Workers at the new gigafactory, which supplies batteries for Nissan’s growing fleet of electric cars, spent four days at North View Academy reviving the school’s garden area which had become “overgrown and unusable” during the Covid pandemic.

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Children at North View Academy give a thumbs up to their new forest school and garden.Children at North View Academy give a thumbs up to their new forest school and garden.
Children at North View Academy give a thumbs up to their new forest school and garden.

AESC UK Ltd contacted the school as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme. Headteacher Gary Mellfont said: “The company are looking to develop relationships with schools and a representative phoned me to ask if there was anything we needed support with.

“I suggested our old forest garden which had become completely overgrown during Covid and damaged from storms.

“We simply have not had time to sort it and the garden had been out of use for two years.

“The team from AESC UK Ltd came out to visit the school, ask what we needed and went away and put a plan together.”

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Children from North View Academy at their new forest school and garden.Children from North View Academy at their new forest school and garden.
Children from North View Academy at their new forest school and garden.

Last month (March) AESC volunteers returned and “worked in all weathers” to clear the garden, fix, paint and waterproof the eight planting beds as well as creating an outdoor learning space and a ‘hobbit hut’ to store the children’s gardening tools and outdoor clothing.

Mr Mellefont said: “The weather was horrendous on the first day with wind and rain, but the amount of work they got done was brilliant.

“AESC has completely brought the garden back to life - it’s like brand new again and I can’t thank them enough.

“The kids are absolutely thrilled to have their garden back.”

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The garden had become overgrown and had not been used for two years. The garden had become overgrown and had not been used for two years.
The garden had become overgrown and had not been used for two years.

The children will now be able to use the planting beds to grow their own fruit, vegetables and flowers while the outdoor forest school will be used as a base for pupils to learn about science, horticulture and geography.

Mr Mellefont said: “The children are really excited about the new garden. A lot of our children will benefit from learning in a different environment outside the classroom.

“It’s an ideal time to reopen this space with spring here and summer around the corner. I think it’s great that AESC want to give something back to the local community.”

North View Academy is part of Wise Academies trust.

Related topics:Workers

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