Gardening author visits West Lancs primary school after hearing how vandals had smashed up the youngsters’ garden shed and tools

Sep 27 2012 by Rob Pattinson, Ormskirk Advertiser

A GARDENING author visited a primary school to present youngsters with a signed book after hearing about how their gardening project had been targeted by vandals last year.

Jenny Hendy gave a talk to pupils at Westhead Lathom St James School last Wednesday to hear how their gardening season was going and also spoke to them about the importance of wildlife in their garden.

The author decided to visit the school after hearing about how the children were left devastated after yobs smashed a shed, bent tools and torched artwork in a heartless act of vandalism last September.

The youngsters had spent months raising money for the shed and child-sized equipment as part of a new gardening project.

But, just days into the new term, they found their £500 pride-and-joy scheme had been ruined.

Since then the community has rallied to support the school, with volunteers from the Co-Op Bank, TalkTalk and the rugby club helping the children with the raised beds, repair of the garden shed, tidying up and the replacing stolen tools.

During her visit, Jenny told the children how, as a child, she couldn't be kept out of the garden and her fascination with plants and creepy-crawlies eventually blossomed into a full-blown career, before presenting the school with her award-winning book, Kids’ First Gardening Book: the ultimate step-by-step guide, which she signed, packs of spring bulbs and seeds to attract insects.

Some members of the school’s gardening club, along with head teacher, Alison Albion, showed Jenny the garden, which included the raised beds.

She was very pleased to see the wilderness garden next to the beds and advised them what they could grow next year.

The visit from the author inspired pupils and staff alike, according to Ms Albion.

She said: “The visit came about through a friend of a friend.

“Jenny Harker, former head teacher of Fairlie Community Primary School, in Skelmersdale, read about what happened to us in the Advertiser and told Jenny Hendy, who said she would like to come and see us. She came and spoke to the children about gardening that can be done both in and outdoors, and she gave us advice about our wild area.

“It was lovely and all the community support for us has been brilliant, too.”