A GARDEN designed by an 11-year-old Warrington schoolgirl and dedicated to the memory of a soldier killed in Afghanistan won an award at Southport Flower Show and was admired by more than 80,000 visitors.
It was a day of joy and sadness for 11-year-old Kerry Anne Eakins, a pupil at Penketh Primary School, for her garden, called “The Path of Life” was dedicated to the memory of Private Tom Sephton of the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment, who died in July from injuries sustained in Afghanistan.
There to see the special garden tribute to Tom were his parents, Ian and Cath Sephton.
There was spontaneous applause from everyone gathered around the winning gardens when Peter Hosker, Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire Freemasons who sponsored the school garden competition, said that Ian and Cath were present to see the garden.
Ian said he was extremely touched by Kerry’s decision to pay such a beautiful tribute to his son, who she knew well and who was a former pupil at her school.
Freemasons were praised by conservationist Professor David Bellamy for encouraging North West youngsters to take an interest in gardening.
Professor Bellamy was speaking after he and Mr Hosker presented Kerry with £500 to be used to enhance the school grounds. Kerry also received a £50 prize.
He said that by encouraging children to become involved with gardens today would reap rewards in the future and he thanked the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity for deciding to sponsor the competition not only this year but for the next three years.
Mr Hosker said that there had not only been a record number of entries for the competition – more than 500 – but that the children had shown outstanding skills. “The designs have been absolutely wonderful,” he said. “The children are the gardeners of the future and will look after our environment.”
The David Bellamy School Garden competition has been held at Southport Flower Show for several years but this was the first time it had been sponsored by the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity.
The winning designs, chosen by a panel of judges, were built for real by gardeners Muddy Boots.
Kerry who also received an autographed copy of one of Professor Bellamy’s books, was thrilled to see her garden design become reality. She said: “Wow. It’s a bit scary! My legs went all funny and wobbly when I was told I’d won, and I couldn’t feel my feet!”
Head teacher Mark Hilton said that the school had adopted a green policy by growing vegetables, selling them and buying more seeds to plant next year. Retired teacher Judith Stephen had been encouraging the school’s eco projects. She had heard about the competition being sponsored by Freemasons and encouraged children at the school take part.
The money won by Kerry’s garden will be used by the school to develop a pond area in its grounds.
Zohra Najenie of St Bridget’s Primary School, Warrington, won £50 as one of the runners-up in the contest.
Pictures: Top: Kerry receives her prize from Professor David Bellamy, watched by Provincial Grand Master Peter Hosker. Right: Kerry with Ian and Cath Sephton. Left: Tom Sephton
1 Comment
What a blooming good result all round for both girls and all who encouraged and supported them. Great creativity shown by gardeners of the future and for a wothwhile cause.