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From a swimming pool to a garden: Theale Green School’s new space catches eye of BBC programme




The finishing touches have been made to a new garden area at Theale Green School.

Thanks to help from a team at Bracknell-based commercial fit out company Overbury, a former swimming pool at the Church Street academy is now an oasis of calm.

The green space at Theale Green School is about the size of four tennis courts
The green space at Theale Green School is about the size of four tennis courts

The gardens feature a sleeper staircase, paths, patio and pergola, raised planting beds and repaired clubhouse, in a space the size of four tennis courts.

In all, Overbury and its partner firms donated an estimated £12,000 in labour and materials and worked over the summer holidays to create the new space. They included benches from supply chain partner Chain, wood and carpenters from Bushcrafted, and Level 1 donated concrete and a patio.

The finishing touches are put in place on a courtyard area at Theale Green School
The finishing touches are put in place on a courtyard area at Theale Green School

“It’s part of our company culture to give something back to the communities we work in,” site manager Jason Shadbolt said.

“We recognise that a lot of the projects we work on wouldn’t be possible without community support, so we’re keen to help with local projects.

“I was put in touch with Andrew (Andrew Wilson, head of Art & Technology, and also ‘chief gardener’ of Theale’s garden) by the local church.

Contractors from Level 1 donated concrete, while a team from Overbury helped install it.
Contractors from Level 1 donated concrete, while a team from Overbury helped install it.

“His passion for the garden and what it means to the kids who can relax and get a sense of achievement from the garden really won me over and we wanted to help.”

The recent work has made a dramatic difference to the gardens Mr Wilson said, adding that at the beginning it was hard to imagine the end result.

“To see the students enjoying the space again now the term has started is a joy. Our gardening club had more than 50 students coming for the very first lunch session – they were straight out there planting up around the new steps,” he said.

New steps leading to areas of the new garden, made on the site of a former swimming pool, have been installed at Theale Green School
New steps leading to areas of the new garden, made on the site of a former swimming pool, have been installed at Theale Green School

“Inspired by the building work, some of our Year 8 gardeners have decided to plan and construct a raised walking platform and maybe even a pond.

“You never know, this building work might just be the catalyst for young people to set their sight on construction, site planning or even garden design as a future career.”

There is talk the efforts of the school might appear on the BBC television programme Gardeners’ World, and the gardening club has been asked to submit a video for consideration.

Local builders donated time and materials to help the Theale Green School garden project
Local builders donated time and materials to help the Theale Green School garden project

A researcher for the show, said: “You’ve managed to pull off really impressive feats of growing, and I was particularly impressed by the way you’re reusing and repurposing old kit into the garden.”

Mr Wilson added: “We’re so grateful to all the contractors who have helped transform an old pool site into something the students of Theale Green will enjoy and learn from for years to come, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the garden project here at Theale in the future.”



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