Ewloe school moves heaven and earth for their ‘Angel’

Pupils and teachers at Ewloe Green Primary School, in Flintshire, will never forget Callum Lavery now they have a special memorial garden in his honour.
On January 18th 2006, Callum Lavery, 6, was taken from this world by a very acute form of Leukaemia, which was incurable. Callum attended the school with his sister, Eleanor, 10, and his loss has left a huge hole in the lives of his family, friends and teachers.

Rebecca Davies, a teacher at Ewloe Green, says: “Callum was a cheeky chap with loads of friends and he was also Liverpool FC mad. The school is still coming to terms with losing him – sometimes the children will save his place at lunchtimes or talk to him as if he’s still around – so we wanted something that would be a permanent memorial which everyone could enjoy, and a garden seemed the best idea.”

Ewloe Green also has ‘eco-school’ status which means the pupils and teachers work hard to raise environmental issues, looking at ways to sustain an improved environment and manage the school’s energy efficiently.

The garden is an extension of the school’s ethos and is an area where the children can not only reflect on Callum’s life, but also to learn about the plants and wildlife that feature there.

Rebecca continues: “All the pupils worked on their own plans for the garden – we had some really imaginative ones that included waterfalls and ponds. We’ve taken ideas from lots of the designs, and come up with a place that we hope will give us many years of getting our hands dirty! The highlight, a tribute to Callum’s love of football, is a raised ball-shaped flower bed in the centre of the garden, with the red and white colours of Liverpool FC.”

The garden was mainly funded by Redrow Homes (North West), which has several new developments very close to the school, while the house builder’s UK headquarters can be found at nearby St David’s Park.

Rebecca approached Redrow’s sales director Patsy Aicken, who was happy to pay for all the plants and materials to create the sensory garden. She also recommended Redrow’s preferred landscapers, Neston-based Newhall Landscaping Contractors, who project managed the garden and ensured the right plants, trees and shrubs were planted to create a long lasting tribute.

Steve Cottriall of Newhall Landscapes donated his time to the garden and even installed a fantastic ‘bug world’ that will no doubt prove a fascination for many of the children. A permanent Christmas tree is another feature, and the school will make their own baubles to add to it every year in memory of Callum.

Patsy Aicken comments: “Redrow is not just a house builder, we also like to get involved in community projects, and when Rebecca asked for our support we were only too happy to help. The garden is a fantastic idea and I’m sure the children will have many happy times in there this summer and for years to come.”

Redrow has been building new homes at St David’s Park for over ten years, with two developments, Y Dolydd and Parc Y Coed, currently on-going, while the low-cost and eco-friendly ‘Debut’ homes also being developed are successfully helping cash-strapped first time buyers onto the property ladder.

Only one parcel of land for residential use remains, which has been earmarked for a selection of one and two-bedroom homes aimed at appealing to empty nesters and people planning for their retirement.

Patsy adds: “This final phase would complete the St David’s Park jigsaw and ensure that we’re catering for people at every stage of their lives while creating a real community.”

Visit Redrow.co.uk to find out more about Redrow’s involvement in community and education projects, including the Redrow Learning Web - a special on-line learning resource for primary and secondary school pupils and teachers, which uses the business of housebuilding and creating new communities to satisfy important elements of the National Curriculum.