THE Bournemouth North Rotary Club donated £400 to a Bournemouth primary school to help fund a school garden project.

Bearwood School was the recipient of the donation following the rotary club reaching out to offer a donation for a specific cause.

After some discussion over what the donation could be used for, it was decided that a revamp of the school's outdoor reading courtyard was desperately needed.

Business Manager for Bearwood School, Peter Leddin said: "It’s a space that was used a great deal, but some aspects had fallen into disrepair. With school budgets being so tight in the Bournemouth and Dorset areas, it wasn’t something we could prioritise without an injection of outside funding."

The outdoor courtyard includes a small stage area for mini performances or guest readers, a 'birds’ nest' made from willow which children can explore, hide and make up stories with.

It also includes bright coloured sculptures and seats.

All of this was designed to spark the imagination, but the garden had become tired, broken and mostly unusable.

The generous rotary donation enabled vital works to occur to improve this outdoor space.

Over the summer, the site manager set about repairing, replacing, and repainting all aspects of the courtyard and it is now a vibrant, welcoming area which pupils will use more frequently.

Peter said: "Unfortunately, given the restrictions in place on schools at the moment and the need to ensure that class bubbles are kept separate we haven’t been able to use it as much as we’d like. It is used, but then must be quarantined for a few days before the next class can use it. Once the restrictions start to be lifted however it will be a fight to keep classes out of there."

For Bearwood School, the use of outdoor areas is incredibly important for children, especially with the benefits fresh air and an alternative learning environment provide.

Head Teacher, Laura Bennett said: "We all want our children to see the world around them, to look up and appreciate a blue sky or a dark cloud. We live in a beautiful part of the world but so many people do not see what is around them. We want our children to understand that learning occurs everywhere, inside, and outside.

"The important thing is to seize opportunities, be positive and seek out new challenges. We never stop learning."

The cheque for £400 was presented by Rotarian Mike Staton and his wife Jill who have two grandsons attending the school.