Children from Studley Green Primary School in Trowbridge are embracing nature this year at a local community garden as part of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Nextdoor Nature project.

Nextdoor Nature is all about bringing communities together to help nature flourish in local gardens and green spaces. As part of this project, members of the Eco Team from Years 3 – 6 from Studley Green Primary are making a series of visits to the neighbouring community garden at Manor Court, a sheltered housing complex managed by Selwood Housing.

Over six visits scheduled between February and July, the children are getting involved in various activities with the aim of enhancing the garden for wildlife. The activities include planting seed trays, crafting bird feeders, sowing wildflowers, transplanting seeds into the garden, and constructing a hedgehog house. They will also be learning about butterfly and bee conservation, wildlife spotting and identifying, nature arts and crafts, and going on scavenger hunts.

Leading the activities is Sue Deedigan from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Sue attends each session to guide the children and talk to them about the importance of supporting nature. Each session focuses on a different theme, covering topics such as the importance of wildflower meadows, how to support pollinators and understanding hedgehog habitats. The children are encouraged to get hands-on exploring the community garden, discovering insects and learning about diverse wildlife species. 

Residents of Manor Court are encouraged to attend each session and join in the fun.

Selwood Housing staff are also getting stuck in with the activities, from digging wildflower beds to constructing hedgehog houses. 

Residents of Manor Court are already witnessing the benefits of the garden improvements and are enjoying watching birds visit the garden to enjoy the new bird feeders.