Win joy for garden gang
Pupilsscoopnationalhonour
JONATHAN GEDDES
A group of greenfingered Cathkin High pupils are feeling blooming marvellous – after winning a national gardening competition.
The school’s gardening team won the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Green Plan It Garden Design Challenge, beating 11 other Scottish schools in the process.
Now the eco-friendly youngsters are hoping to turn their dream into a reality in the near future.
The group proposed a garden based around a quiet space to reduce anxiety among pupils.
Their plan was considered “highly original” by judges, especially when blended with the other zones in the school, which include a place to grow fruit and vegetables for the canteen, a sensory area for pupils on the autism spectrum, an area of bright flowers for high pollination and another to attract wildlife such as small birds, hedgehogs and frogs.
The team were assisted by Eugenie Aroutcheff of the Grow 73 charity, which works on green projects across Rutherglen.
And teacher Stuart Rivans believes that the project helped the pupils gain crucial skills, while also building their confidence.
He said: “Our children worked very hard to win this coveted award.
“It was a real confidencebuilding exercise and allowed several children in the team who have additional support needs to demonstrate their skills and abilities.
“Being involved has also led to us enhancing our links with the community.
“Grow 73 are involved in several exciting projects in which our pupils will also play a part, including working with the elderly, learning from their own rich gardening experiences.
“We also hope that the presence of a new school garden will lead to a positive destination in horticulture, already offered by numerous colleges.”
A panel of judges assessed the designs of the 12 finalists at a ceremony at the Botanical Gardens in Glasgow, then quizzed the youngsters on their ideas afterwards. They then announced Cathkin as the winners, and the RHS will now help the school apply for the necessary grants to help bring the garden to life.
Eugenie Aroutcheff was delighted with the result and added: “We had the team working from scratch and showing their creative side to develop ideas, and hopefully that is something they will take forwards with them.
“They named themselves the Mood Changers because the project was all about how the garden affected their mood, and how it could be like a little oasis in the school.
“I thought that was really cool and they loved it.
“They just want the garden to be done now, so we have had to explain that it will take a bit of time.”
The winning Cathkin team consisted of Lauren Morrow, Patrick Canavan, Matthew Allan, Aiden Wilson, Scott Green, Scott Parkinson, Liam McCann, Lewis Gilchrist and Alyssia Jackson.
Our children worked very hard to win this coveted award... Being involved has also strengthened our links with the community