Eco-garden a tribute to pupil Daniel
SCHOOL’S MEMORIAL TO BOY WHO DIED OF LEUKAEMIA AGED EIGHT
CHILDREN and staff at an Ilkeston primary school have created an eco-garden in memory of a boy who died at just eight years old.
Daniel Rigley died in 2021 after a battle with leukaemia.
He was first diagnosed when he was 18 months old and was completing his treatment when he started reception class at St Thomas’ Catholic Academy, in Church View.
But in 2019, he relapsed when he was diagnosed with meningitis and his leukaemia returned.
Originally Daniel’s parents had approached the school to ask if a bench could be installed in his memory.
But staff wanted to do more and asked pupils to come up with designs for an entire garden in the school grounds.
Pupils and staff raised over £6,000 to create the memorial eco-garden at the school.
Funding from East Midlands Airport has also been used.
The successful designer was Harper Barber, 10, and elements of her drawing have been included such as a water feature and beds for plants and flowers.
Her design has been incorporated into the EMA eco garden which was already being planned by the school.
Andy Gotheridge, assistant head teacher at St Thomas, said: “Everyone has been amazing. The support has been incredible.
“We’ve also had parents offering to help and one of our teaching assistants has approached a couple of garden centres.
“We had a design-a-garden lesson with Year 5 pupils in Daniel’s class and we looked at the basic elements that could be included.
“We also spoke to Daniel’s parents and they were keen for a bench to be included and strawberry plants as Daniel liked strawberries.
“We gave the pupils the basic shape of the garden and they had a go at designing it. We showed Daniel’s mum and dad the designs and they chose their favourite.”
Head teacher Michael Sellors added: “We are looking to completing the garden which has transformed a disused piece of land into a beautiful and peaceful reflective space for children and staff to go to remember Daniel, a much-loved and missed pupil.”
The hard landscaping work has already been completed but the school needs to fill the beds and is appealing to anyone who can donate flowers and plants to contact them.
Anyone who can donate plants and flowers for the new garden is urged to contact the school on 0115 932 0550.