A SENSORY garden has opened in Great Sankey – thanks to some help from volunteers and money from the Community Initiative Fund.
Great Sankey Children’s Centre Parents Forum received a £640 grant from Warrington Borough Council’s neighbourhoods team to develop a sensory garden at the children’s centre.
The money was used to create a story corner with seating and herb beds, installation of windmills, and other brightly coloured ornaments and the purchase of plants, flowers, play equipment and musical instruments.
The new garden also includes a mud kitchen and den, as well as homemade scent boxes filled with essential oils. A number of items were donated and recycled to make the garden an exciting place for fun and learning.
Heather Copperwheat, a member of the children’s centre parents forum, said: “Being awarded the money from Warrington Borough Council meant that we could really make this garden a special place.
“The hundreds of hours our volunteers have spent bringing this garden to life is now paying off as we see so many visitors enjoying the space we have created. We’re now planning more fundraising activities to help add to the facilities in the garden.”
Cllr Tony Higgins, the council’s lead member for leisure and community, opened the garden.
He said: “This is a fantastic local resource for families to enjoy spending time together outdoors. The children have had so much fun exploring the garden and all of the unique things it has to offer and it’s all thanks to the hard work of volunteers who have made it such a great success.”
As part of national play day an event is taking place at the centre today from 10am – 1pm, where there will be a host of activities on offer including a ‘mini-beast hunt’ and badge making sessions run by volunteers in the garden.
