PUPILS at The Community School of Auchterarder are enjoying outdoor learning and growing their gardening skills thanks to a donation from Stewart Milne Homes.
The housebuilder has donated £1,000 to the school as part of its Eco-Gardens Initiative, which aims to support the development of green spaces and sustainability in the communities within which the firm builds.
The funding has been used to purchase gardening tools including spades, trowels, and watering cans which the pupils will use to help enhance the school grounds, including at the nursery, support for learning centre, walled garden and memorial garden.
The donation will also be used towards the purchase of fruit and vegetable plants, which the children will learn to plant and nurture in a dedicated food garden.
Stewart Milne Homes said it hopes to inspire the next generation of gardeners to experience the joy of growing their own plants and vegetables, whilst helping to instill skills that promote healthy lifestyle choices.
As well as the funding, pupils also received hi-vis jackets to help keep them safe.
Stewart Milne Homes is currently progressing its Hunter’s Meadow development of three, four, five and six-bedroom family homes, located just a short distance away from the primary school.
Tony Williamson, sales & marketing director, Stewart Milne Homes Scotland, said, “The Community School of Auchterarder is an integral part of the community and we are proud to help enhance its garden areas which will benefit both pupils and staff for years to come. We are pleased to hear that the school already has great plans in place to use the donation to help teach pupils how to grow fruit and vegetables in a dedicated food garden, which is a fantastic skill to help promote positive lifestyle habits.
“Working with local communities is part of Stewart Milne Homes’ identity with our people-first approach to development. Our highly sought-after Hunter’s Meadow development has been designed with this same approach, with plentiful green space and flexible home layouts which accommodate modern day lifestyles.”
Kathryn Dalrymple, headteacher at The Community School of Auchterarder, added, “The health and wellbeing of our pupils is paramount, and we are consistently looking at how we can help to promote positive life skills that children will benefit from which outdoor learning and gardening enables. The generous donation from Stewart Milne Homes has helped us to accelerate plans to upgrade garden space across the campus that will both boost the attractiveness of the school, as well as encourage pupils to get green fingered.”
