Mayor of Newbury and Falkland Primary School pupils plant sunflower seeds in support of Ukraine

The mayor of Newbury joined 40 schoolchildren in planting several sunflower seeds in a show of support for the people of Ukraine.

Mayor Nigel Foot, 40 pupils from Falkland Primary School and a handful of Newbury in Bloom volunteers planted 180 seeds in a new bed at Greenham House Gardens.

Falkland school staff and members of Newbury Town Council’s green spaces working group lent a hand with the work.

Mr Foot said: “The children seemed to have lots of fun planting the seeds and are excited about watching them bloom later in the year.

“The flowers will make for a beautiful display throughout the summer, whilst holding a deeper significance for those displaced to Newbury by the war.”

The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine, and the town council hopes that the planted seeds will grow into a symbol of solidarity and support for the local Ukrainian community.

Comments from some of the Falkland pupils involved in the project included “it was the best morning ever” and “it was the most fun I’ve had in a long time”.