School ‘wonderland’ gives disabled Isla the freedom to play

Mum creates safe area for poorly daughter, 6

A determined mum has transformed a wasteland into a wonderland so her disabled daughter can play outdoors at school.

Chloe Brown’s six-year-old twins Isobel and Isla joined Wickhambreaux C of E Primary School in reception class last year. But she soon grew concerned that Isla - who has a heart defect that caused a stroke and makes her vulnerable to falls - could be at risk in a busy playground at break time.

Spotting an overgrown and disused area of land behind her daughters’s classroom, Chloe decided to help create a space that they and other pupils could enjoy, away from the school’s main playground.

She said: “The school hadn’t had the funds or a gardener to maintain it. That’s where my idea for the project started - I wanted to raise money to create something special for all the children.”

After months of fundraising, Chloe succeeded in collecting more than £21,000 to completely revamp the area.

“I asked the kids exactly what they wanted,” she explained. “And we’ve built specific areas for each of these - an area with a wind turbine and solar panels so children can learn about generating their own electricity and power, a weather station, AstroTurf football pitch and story-telling chair. All is very low maintenance.”

The project grew, with parents offering up weekends to help and businesses such as Millwood Designer Homes pledging large sums of money to aid the improvements.

Now, more than 150 people have attended an official opening of the school’s “wasteland to wonderland” scheme, which was blessed by the Bishop of Dover.

Head teacher Ann Campling thanked Chloe and those who helped realise the project.

She said: “The wonderland has given the children about a third more space with woodland, a view of the river and we have also created a prayer space with the new willow den.

“The whole garden gives the children a place to explore and socialise and now we have Digby the rabbit too, who helps those who are a little shy to have a bit more confidence by caring for him.

“Chloe had the vision for the project and galvanised everyone and really pulled it up by its bootstraps, and we absolutely love what she and the team of volunteers have done.”