Work has begun on a pupil-designed eco-garden at Sandylands Primary School funded by West End Morecambe Big Local. The project has beed designed by the pupils themselves, and Headteacher Allison Hickson has said she is “incredibly proud” to see the transformation of previously unused land behind the school’s Balmoral Road buildings into a vibrant, sustainable learning space.
The ambitious project has been made possible thanks to a £47,000 grant from West End Morecambe Big Local (WEM), alongside additional support from Lancashire County Council.
Turning Children’s Ideas into Reality
Mrs Hickson expressed heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in bringing the vision to life, saying
“We are hugely grateful to WEM and all our collaborators and contractors for believing in the children’s ideas and helping turn them into reality.”
The eco-garden has been carefully designed as a multifunctional outdoor space that promotes nature, wellbeing, and ecological learning and will provide pupils with hands-on opportunities to explore sustainability while enjoying the benefits of outdoor education.
A Garden Designed by Pupils
What makes the project especially unique is its origin. The idea grew out of a pupil forum organised by WEM to gather a “child’s-eye view” of the local area. Inspired by the children’s enthusiasm and creativity, plans were developed to create a green space tailored to their ideas and environmental priorities.
Mrs Hickson added:
“Creating sustainable environments is important to us and something that children need to be involved in and educated on.”
Investing in the Future
The new eco-garden is expected to become a valuable community and educational asset, fostering environmental awareness from an early age while transforming unused land into a thriving natural habitat. As construction gets underway, the Sandylands school community is looking forward to watching the children’s vision grow — quite literally — into a space that nurtures learning, wellbeing, and sustainability for years to come.
