A new sensory garden at St George’s Junior School in Shrewsbury is starting to take shape with the help from local communities, volunteers and businesses.

The £80k project will see an underused 12m x 50m space of the school grounds transform into an inclusive outdoor space designed to support children’s wellbeing, outdoor learning and environmental education.

The garden has been designed in partnership with Shropshire landscaping company Butler Landscapes, which has volunteered to help build the garden for free.

The children themselves have helped shape the garden, whereby Butler Landscapes has worked with the school’s eco council with pupils on interactive workshops which introduced pupils to professional landscape design, including how to use scaled plans and consider how a space can be designed for everyone.

Sharon Bulter, director, says, “When we first visited the school, we felt it was really important that the children were involved because it’s their space. It was fantastic to see their enthusiasm and creativity. Their ideas have genuinely influenced the final design.”

The garden will also include a dedicated marine-themed area created in memory of Olivia, a former pupil who sadly passed away and who had a love of ocean life. Her existing memorial features will be incorporated alongside plans for a wave sculpture and peaceful reflection area.

The project has recently received a major boost with a recent £10,000 donation from the Shropshire Horticultural Society, following a funding request from the school’s Parent, Teacher and Friends Association, which is spearheading the project and seeking funding, grants and support from the community.

It has also secured a grant of £17,000 from Addagrip Terraco to supply the resin hardstanding areas for the whole project for free. Also, a pupil’s dad, at Benbow Brothers Tree Surgeons, has volunteered to remove four large conifers and cut back a large tree.

The school is continuing to appeal to local businesses, tradespeople, suppliers and members of the community who could contribute funding, materials, equipment, professional expertise, or volunteer time.