IN FOCUS... Southwark Schools Grand opening of forest school garden

Bishop Karowei attended the grand opening of St Mary’s Lewisham CE Primary School forest garden.

After identifying a patch of unused wasteland, overgrown and filled with rubbish, St Mary’s Lewisham CE Primary School had a vision to transform the area into a forest school garden to benefit the local community. A consultation with local residents and stakeholders followed, the contract was secured and work started. A team of volunteers also helped to add the finishing touches.

The garden is next to the school and provides a natural space in an urban area, giving school children at St Mary’s a chance to connect with nature in positive and sustainable ways.

During a service, part of the official grand opening to bless the garden, Bishop Karowei prayed saying: “We give you thanks for all those who have contributed and worked really hard to make this possible and today, as we dedicate (this garden), we dedicate our own lives to you

“The forest school area has already made such a huge difference to the mental health and well-being of our pupils and wider school community.” for the use of your kingdom and for the glory of your name. And so in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, we bless and dedicate this new forest school garden to the use of St Mary’s School, Lewisham and the wider community.”

Christine Graham, Headteacher at St Mary’s said: “The forest school area has already made such a huge difference to the mental health and well-being of our pupils and wider school community. The children of St Mary’s – many of whom don’t have gardens or green spaces of their own – have really engaged with their natural environment, planting trees and flowers, making compost and learning about the ecosystem.

“At the grand opening, Bishop Karowei shared our vision for the forest school garden to be a transformative space for generations of children to flourish and thrive. We are looking forward to seeing the area develop and change with the seasons. Community groups are already benefiting from the space and we have already seen a positive impact on children’s learning. We are very grateful to Bishop Karowei and Damien Egan, the Mayor of Lewisham, for attending the event and formally opening the area.”