Green-fingered pupils get tools

PUPILS at a village primary school will be able to exercise their green fingers thanks to a donation of tools from a local garden centre.

Dove Bank Primary in Nailstone benefitted from the implements as part of the Tools for Change scheme launched by Wyevale Garden Centres.

Youngsters from the school’s gardening club travelled to Woodlands, the Wyevale outlet on Ashby Road, Stapleton, to pick up the tools.

Richard Smith, project manager of the gardening club at Dove Bank Primary said: “The donation of tools will be a great addition to our collection which will help in teaching the children how to grow their own fruit and veg.”

Tools For Change encourages gardeners to donate their old, broken or unwanted hand tools to their Wyevale centre.

These are then distributed by the Conservation Foundation between three UK prisons - HM Prison Wandsworth, HM Prison Dartmoor and HM Prison Edinburgh - to be refurbished.

Since its launch in May 2016 the Tools for Change has successfully reconditioned and rehomed thousands of tools, taught valuable skills to prisoners and saved tonnes of waste.

David Shreeve, director, the Conservation Foundation, said: “It’s been fantastic to see the impact and transformative effect this scheme can have on so many people, whether it’s the prisoners learning valuable skills or school children using the tools in community gardens.

“We are all very grateful to the customers and staff of Wyevale for helping make this so successful.”