Pond joy for Bawburgh primary school

Around 13 staff from Norwich Union are quitting their desks, rolling up their sleeves and pulling on green wellies to join South Norfolk Council Countryside Rangers for a day of hard physical graft on behalf of primary children at The Bawburgh School.

South Norfolk Council has already created a pond for the children, and while they are away on half-term holiday, the Rangers and staff from Norwich Union's Resource Planning Team based in Surrey Street, are going to prepare a big surprise for them when they return to school.

Between 9am and 5pm, next Wednesday May 31, the volunteers will be building a pond dipping platform, installing safety gates - the pond is also fenced for security - creating a cobbles and gravel beach area, and a marsh and sensory bed, all around the new pond.

The sensory bed will have strong smelling flowers, strong colours, and different textures for the children to experience. The marsh will have wonderful plants like yellow flag iris and purple loose strife to attract the butterflies.

There will be a lot woodworking to do and the pond dipping platform will require posts which have to be dug in. The Norwich Union team are led by Sue Blythe, Resource Planning Consultant in Norwich Union's Operational Services Section.

Sue said:

"Norwich Union does a lot of volunteering, and we are very proud of the work we do in the community. We're really looking forward to it."

Countryside Ranger Steve Hammond said:

"Every child at the school has already planted mini wild flower meadows in seed trays. And once we have finished this heavy work, they will be transplanted to the pond area. There will be a woodland walk, and an orchard with Norfolk variety fruit trees.

"This is set to become a fantastic wildlife area for the children."

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