BBC Radio Gloucestershire
BBC Radio Gloucestershire visited the allotment last week to find out more about the project, the inspiration behind it and how it has brought the community together. The piece will be aired next Sunday morning on their farming and gardening program.
The recording was a real success. Half a dozen children walked up to the site with their brilliant TA, Mrs Chapman, and were met by Alan White, a local village resident who kindly donated £500 to the allotment fund. The photograph below was taken by one of the children.
The children were asked lots of different questions about how they have been involved in the project, what jobs they have enjoyed doing and what their favourite things are. They talked a lot about building the bird hides, their love of digging and the rat that was found at gardening club! As a by stander, it was extremely insightful. They all did the school proud.
To help give the interviews some context, the presenter wanted to record lots of different sounds, which included splashing in the pond…
…throwing stones in a wheelbarrow…
…and digging over soil.
Despite the rather foggy conditions, it was clear to see just how much the children get from the allotment. Projects such as this enhance their ‘Super Skills’; including participation, teamwork, perseverance, empathy, resilience, inclusion and creativity. The school places a big emphasis on these skill sets so it’s great to get the local radio coverage as it really helps champion everything the school is trying to achieve.