As you may already know, we have been working closely with a charity called Cultivating Change since 2024 who are helping us to develop a productive gardening and growing space for the pupils of St Mary's and the wider school community.  Through having a functioning gardening space, the pupils will have the chance to be involved in hands-on gardening activities, benefit from spending time outside in nature in a calming growing space and learn to grow food (primarily vegetable, herbs and flowers).  Last year, Cultivating Change kindly donated all of the seeds and we grew a lot of produce such as courgettes, pumpkins, lettuce, chard, sunflowers and potatoes which were enjoyed by pupils, staff and the school kitchen.  This year we aim to do even more and with this in mind, we will be collecting recycled containers to use for growing radish and cress seedlings in the classrooms later on in March.   If you have any spare packaging in your recycling, please could you bring it to reception?  Plastic/cardboard fruit trays, boxes, large yoghurt cartons and large milk bottles all work well.  Also, if you have any interest in gardening and would like to help us with clean up days or even a gardening club then we would love to hear from you!