A SCHOOL in Midsomer Norton has been awarded more than £1,000 in funding from a local supermarket to help grow its outdoor learning spaces.

St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School, part of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, was awarded a £1,500 Tesco ‘Stronger Starts’ grant to enhance its gardening facilities for pupils.

The community voted for the project via tokens in the local store. The school says the grant will allow it to develop improved outdoor learning spaces and provide children with more opportunities to explore gardening, nature and hands on learning.

St Benedict’s recently held a special forest school event for nursery children who came along to make leaf caterpillars, nature crowns, complete a scavenger hunt and toast marshmallows.

The Tesco’s Stronger Starts programme invites schools, charities and not-for-profit organisations to apply for grants to help children and young people access healthy, nutritious food. The initiative supports projects ranging from breakfast and holiday clubs to cooking and gardening activities, as well as schemes that provide fruit, healthy snacks or opportunities to build life skills and confidence.

Mrs Croker, headteacher at St Benedict's Catholic Primary School, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed. This funding will make a real difference and we cannot wait to begin developing the new gardening area. Our children will benefit from more opportunities to learn outside, explore nature, and develop important life skills through hands-on activities.”

Helen Taylor, CEO of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, added: “We are thrilled that St Benedict’s has been awarded this grant. Projects like this highlight the importance of connecting children with nature and promoting healthy lifestyles. It’s wonderful to see our local community come together to support initiatives that make a positive difference in young people’s lives.”