B&Q West Norwood today (19 March) proudly handed over some very special tools to young gardeners from Streatham’s Hitherfield Primary School. They were from Tools Shed, The Conservation Foundation’s garden tool recycling project, which is run in association with a number of UK prisons, and distributes refurbished garden tools to school and community gardeners.
The tools presented were repaired by prisoners at HMP Wandsworth and were donated to Hitherfield Primary School for the edible playground which the school is growing in partnership with Trees for Cities. Hitherfield will also be sharing some tools among other local schools.
Tools Shed is a successful sustainability project which gives productive work and skills to prisoners, while saving tools from landfill. The refurbished tools give schoolchildren the chance to get involved with fun, outdoor projects, learning to tend and grow plants and create something they can feel proud of.
Last year B&Q held a tool amnesty in a number of stores in order to collect broken garden hand tools for Tools Shed. Lee Tattersall, store manager at B&Q West Norwood, commented: “B&Q was so pleased to help out with the Tools Shed project. It’s a really great cause and we look forward to seeing how Hitherfield Primary School’s Edible Playground grows!”
David Shreeve, Director of The Conservation Foundation, said:
“You could not have a better time than spring for a Tools Shed giveaway. Everything is starting to wake up in the garden and we all want to be outside getting our gardens ready to start working for us. We’re grateful to B&Q for their donations; these refurbished tools will be enjoying a new life in the Edible Playground which is something we can all feel proud of.”
Chris Ashley-Jones, Headteacher of Hitherfield Primary School said:
“Hitherfield Primary School children are very excited about the development of their Edible Playground and with the support of B&Q the children will be able to plant and grow a variety of edible foods, learning about where foods come from and the seasonality of the plants.”
Last year, Hitherfield Primary School’s Edible Playground was officially opened for the governors, parents and children to explore for the first time. The project is part of Trees for Cities’ Edible Playground programme that transforms outdoor spaces in school grounds into green growing spaces, giving children the opportunity to grow, harvest and eat healthy food.
Sharon Johnson, Chief Executive of Trees for Cities said “Edible Playgrounds engage children with nature and show them how rewarding it is to spend time outdoors. We are delighted that B&Q are supporting the school by providing them with these refurbished tools to help them to plant, grow and harvest produce in their Edible Playground.”
Schools and community gardeners can apply for tools by contacting tools@conservationfoundation.co.uk.
