Pupils at a Newcastle-under-Lyme primary school have done their bit for the environment and restored some much-needed privacy screening thanks to a donation from a well-established firm of architects.
A grant from Wood Goldstraw Yorath has funded 36 trees which have been planted at Our Lady & St Werburgh’s Catholic Primary School in Clayton.
The Hanley-based firm is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and has sponsored several projects to mark the milestone.
Director Rob Leadbeater said: “This particular project is closely aligned to our ethos of reducing carbon emissions within the construction industry, whilst also making a positive contribution to local biodiversity.
“Let’s face it, major aspects of the construction industry are large contributors to UK carbon emissions. This was the perfect scheme and opportunity to allow us to put something back into the education sector and the community.”
Two rows of Birch, Lime, Sycamore, Rowan and Oak between five and 14 feet tall were sourced from Proctors Nursery in Brown Edge.
The new project will provide much-needed privacy screening to the school’s field where summer fayres, PE lessons, lunchtime clubs and the annual sports day take place.
A new housing estate, on the site of the former Clayton Lodge hotel, is being created the other side of the fence.
Our Lady & St Werburgh’s Head Teacher Rachel Wilson said: “As a Catholic school our children learn that they are caring for God’s creation.
“We teach them that they are stewards of our planet, and we are all responsible for protecting and caring for our world.
“This was an excellent project to be involved in and we are thankful for the support we have received.”
