SCHOOL NEWS: Greenfylde will need YOUR votes for Tesco funding

GREENFYLDE First School in Ilminster is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.

The supermarket has teamed up with Groundwork on its Bags of Help initiative, which see grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to environmental and greenspace projects.

Three groups in each of Tesco’s 416 regions have been shortlisted to receive the cash award.

And this month shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.

Greenfylde First School is one of the groups on the shortlist.

Headteacher Claire Oaten said: “At Greenfylde, we already offer Forest School sessions to our children but now want to extend this so our Forest School Teacher can offer Forest School family days on weekends.

“This would involve families (parents and younger/older siblings) coming to weekend sessions where they took part in Forest School activities such as nature tracking, den building, fire making and pond dipping together.

“We believe that having families learn together will also support well-being and promote healthy lifestyles as part of the day will be a walk up Herne Hill to take the skills learnt in the forest school out into the locality.

“The improvements required would allow families to use the site and also provide additional benefits for the pupils who continue to use this during the week.”

The funding would be used for creating appropriate access to Greenfylde’s Forest School site for all ages and abilities; additional equipment for families to use in activities such as tools and a suitable storage building for these; planting of trees to create additional mini woodland walks on site; creation of a covered activity zone so that sessions can go on whatever the weather; and willow learning pods to help children and families explore nature.

Ms Oaten added: “As a school we know how popular Forest School is with our families and we now want to extend this to allow family groups at the school to access this provision. We want our forest school classroom to be used by families and achieving this grant would allow us to develop access for all ages and physical abilities.

“Being outside has long been known to have benefits to mental well being and combining this with what may well be new learning offers mental stimulation. We also want families to learn together so that different ages appreciate each others' talents and develop team work between the generations.

“Opportunities for families to work together outside in organised activities is limited in our locality if you do not have access to your own transport. This would give a weekend activity in Ilminster for families to participate in together.”

Voting is open in stores from September 26, 2016, to October 9, 2016. Customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop.

This is the second round of the initiative: the first round saw about eight million shoppers vote in stores up and down the country earlier this year.

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