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MENDIP TIMES
School plants an orchard
HEMINGTON Primary School has received a gift of ten fruit trees from The Tree Council as part of their Orchards for Schools initiative. Every child in the school and pre-school helped to plant the trees. An additional 30 bushes and trees were also planted in the school’s conservation area, enhancing its forest school provision. School head, Naomi de Chastelain, said: “We are so grateful for the children to be able to connect with nature in this way. After a difficult year with the Covid-19 pandemic this is just the kind of outdoor opportunity our children need to support their wellbeing.” The school said it would also like to thank parent, Will Reynolds, for making the charity application and helping to plant the trees and Richard from Combe Garden Maintenance for his help and advice.
Smashing it again
Effects of Covid and climate change
A NEW report says that Covid-19 has hit our most disadvantaged communities hardest – and warns the climate crisis will do the same. The Vital Signs 2021 Climate and Communities report by Quartet Community Foundation examines how the climate crisis is already affecting local lives across the West of England and includes local and national data on energy and transport, food, weather and nature. It also features local projects already taking positive steps to improve the environment and tackle climate change. The report’s author, lucy Gilbert, head of policy at the foundation, said: “It’s clear that, as with the Covid crisis, it’s those of us already facing disadvantage that are going to feel the worst impacts of the climate crisis. “Our local charitable organisations will be frontline in responding to climate change because they’re on the ground, ready to act swiftly, as they’ve been doing throughout the pandemic. “We want to support local action now that will help mitigate the local effects of climate change. There are some fantastic local initiatives working on this already, and now is the time to support them. We want to play our part by working with philanthropists and local organisations to support a fairer, greener future. The charity sector has been working flat out to support communities during Covid; we want to make sure they have the resources they need to help communities through the climate crisis too.” l Since the launch of its Coronavirus Response Fund in March 2020, Quartet has supported 276 groups with grants totalling £2.4m. In total it gave more than £5million to 930 projects last year. Details: https://quartetcf.org.uk/reports
Friends and family welcome Tabby at the finish line Tabby around seven hours into her run
lONG-distance runner Tabby Maidment has raised at least £1,400 for Evercreech Primary School after completing a 75km run around the village. Tabby had set a target of raising £250 for the school’s Association of Parents and Teachers to help fund the building of a new outdoor shelter and replacing the play surface at the school’s Acorns pre-school group. Tabby – who last year ran 50km for Acorns – completed the run in around nine hours.
PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • MAY 2021
£1,400 – and counting; Tabby’s fantastic fundraising effort
