A primary school in Orpington, Kent, has gone to unusual lengths to raise money for Perennial’s Go Green for HortAid campaign. Supported by local garden centre Coolings of Knockholt, Pratts Bottom Primary School pupils pulled an eight tonne ‘green goddess’ fire engine 20 metres across the front of their school on Friday September 11. Coolings sponsored them £20 for every metre, raising £500 for Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to supporting all horticulturists in times of crisis.
Coolings managing director Gary Carvosso said: “The children really demonstrated what can be achieved when everyone pulls together in the same direction – their teamwork raised £500 for a charity close to the hearts of many horticulturists. We had a really fun day with them last week and they are joining us again today at the garden centre to meet Alan Titchmarsh ahead of his talk this evening.”
A raffle at the event, An Audience with Alan Titchmarsh, which took place on Monday September 14 at Coolings Garden Centre, raised a further £800 for Perennial’s Go Green for HortAid campaign.
Pratts Bottom Primary School head teacher Debbie Smith said: “All the children had a wonderful afternoon on Friday and felt a real sense of achievement, not only to have pulled the fire engine across the front of their school, but to have raised so much money for charity in the process. We had a fabulous day at Coolings yesterday; the children enjoyed some practical gardening, learned more about Perennial and meeting Alan Titchmarsh was the icing on the cake.”
Perennial marking and development director Anita Bates added: “It is just this sort of event that makes our annual Go Green for HortAid fortnight so special. Thank you to all the pupils from Pratts Bottom Primary, to Gary and all the team at Coolings and of course to our President, Alan Titchmarsh – we’re thrilled that this year Coolings’ ‘green goddess’ really came into its own!”
To find out more about the work of Perennial and the free and confidential services they provide to all those working in horticulture in the UK, visit www.perennial.org.uk.
You can still donate to Perennial’s Go Green for HortAid 2015 campaign here: http://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/perennial/go-green-2015
