Can you help Clem to create a special sensory garden at The Priory Belvoir Academy?

The Priory Belvoir Academy has an excellent reputation for helping children with special educational needs and their families too and now one of its Year 7 pupils, Clem Beardmore, is hoping the local community will help him to create a special sensory garden for everyone at the school to enjoy as a calm place to sit and think.

Clem moved to Bottesford from Newark with his mum and younger brother in February 2020, specially so that he could start at the school last September. He needs to receive additional learning support as he has a degenerative brain condition which is causing difficulties with his gross and fine motor skills. Although he had never expressed an interest in gardening before, one of the first things Clem did was to join the Gardening Club – and he loved it! He was quickly thinking of new things he could do with plants, pots and even planting up wellies, and when a new sensory hub facility opened at the school, Clem started to wonder about what could be done with the patch of waste ground next to it (c. 25m x 25m).

Clem asked the school’s pastoral lead, Mr Miller, if he could help to create a sensory garden, somewhere everyone at school could use as a quiet place to take a moment to sit and think. With the school’s go ahead, Clem started to research what creating a sensory garden would involve and worked out that he’d need to raise £3,500 for it to include a water wall, pagoda, raised beds, a covered walkway and lots of special sensory plants.

Clem started to fundraise at school and his mum, Kate, suggested a raffle. She contacted various local businesses including the Link Magazine, to find out if they would be able to offer any support, either in a practical capacity or with the donation of a prize for a raffle to be held in late May (date to be confirmed). Offers of help and raffle prizes to date include two days of groundwork by JP Fencing, East Bridgford Garden Centre (£50 voucher), Niall Parsons Fitness (1.5 hour football training session), Pizzini Coffee Shop (cake and coffee voucher) and Russell Gas (boiler service voucher).

In addition, the Link Magazine has got on board and editor Wendy introduced Clem to gardener extraordinaire and regular writer, Mr Alan Mason. He is currently reviewing Clem’s plan and has given him the mission of researching what plants will suit the area best; ones that appeal to the senses with special smells and touchy-feely leaves.

Clem says: “I want to create a garden for everybody to enjoy, an area where people feel calm. I’m excited to see how it is going to turn out and I am looking forward to seeing how Mr Mason has developed my ideas.”

If you’d like to support Clem’s project, here are three ways you can help. All support is very much appreciated and we’ll be doing further articles as work on the new sensory garden progresses so you can see the difference any contributions have made.

1. If you’d like to make a monetary donation, Mr Miller has set up a Just Giving page:

Crowdfunding to fund a sensory garden within pastoral area, a place for children to relax, unwind & support their mental well-being! on JustGiving

Help raise £3500 to fund a sensory garden within pastoral area, a place for children to relax, unwind & support their mental well-being! Weʼre raising money to fund a sensory garden within pastoral area, a place for children to relax, unwind & support their mental well-being!. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page. www.justgiving.com

2. To make an offer of practical help or the donation of a raffle prize, please email kate.Beardmore@cps.gov.uk as soon as possible.

 

3. To purchase raffle tickets (more info)

On behalf of Clem and The Priory Belvoir Academy, many thanks.