MacIntyre School and children's home in Wingrave, Buckinghamshire, is a vibrant place with strong links to the village community which are helpful for children and young people, staff and villagers alike.
Community Café
Every month at the school there is a Community Café, at which villagers come and enjoy delicious food prepared by the young people. It gives everyone a chance to get to know each other, and provides young people with valuable work experience.
Bowls Club
The Wingrave Bowls Club has been a great help also in providing work experience, strengthening our community ties still further.
Something missing
But we felt there was something missing. Although there are plenty of places for young people to go, and gardens with play equipment in the residential houses, we felt we could do more to support young people to engage with nature.
Sensory Garden
So one project we're particularly excited by is the sensory garden located on the school grounds.
This was the brainchild of several people, not least Jan, a Wingrave villager who is also on the school's Local Advisory Board. Jan is a keen gardener and together with Rob and Laura from the school came up with the idea for a new outdoor space.
The idea was to have somewhere for young people to enjoy wild flowers and scented plants that attract bees and insects.
Another great example of community connections bearing fruit (or in this case flowers!).
Looking forward to summer
At the moment, the garden is sleeping in the winter sunshine, but young people are looking forward to new shoots poking through the ground, and enjoying the warmth of the summer days and the lazy buzzing of bees, when the garden will be at its fragrant best.
