Eco boost for school pond project

A project to boost diversity and wildlife by building a new school pond has been completed.

The pond at Southfied School, in Kettering, will be officially opened by the town mayor on Tuesday 4 July.

The project was funded by a grant from Kettering Town Council's Love Wildlife competition which ran earlier in the year.

The Eco Club at the school secured £1,000 to create the pond which doubles up as a new habitat for the school site and a learning resource for pupils. Creating the pond has also helped Southfield retain its Eco School Green Flag Award.

Cllr Mark Rowley, Kettering Town Council's Finance and Governance Committee chair, said: "We are really committed to encouraging biodiversity in town and this project is a great example of how a site can be transformed to encourage wildlife."

Mayor of Kettering Cllr Emily Fedorowycz, who will be officially opening the pond said: "The school has worked so hard on this pond and it really pays off with a wonderful new wildlife area and an invaluable way for children to learn about the environment."

Dr Andy Fordham at Southfield School for Girls, who submitted the £1000 prize winner for a new pond on school grounds said: "Thanks to the hard work of our estates staff, our new pond is a lovely safe environment. We are so pleased to have a great new habitat for the school site and a great learning resource too."

The Love Wildlife competition also awarded £1,000 to Kettering Women's Centre to support vulnerable women with horticultural therapy and a range of smaller awards were made to a range of different projects in the town.

Photograph courtesy of Alison Bagley, Northants Evening Telegraph