A NEW sensory prayer garden is taking shape at St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School in Midsomer Norton thanks to a £500 grant from Mendip and District Round Table 642.

Mendip and District Round Table 642 is a social group for men who come together to support local community projects.

Work on the garden has already begun, with the grant being used to purchase five raised beds. They will be transformed into sensory beds featuring flowers chosen to represent the five senses, sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell.

This exciting project is a collaborative effort between the school’s pupil wellbeing champions and the chaplaincy team, combining creativity, mindfulness, and reflection to design a space for all pupils to enjoy.

At St Benedict’s, the wellbeing champions help to shape school life by ensuring that all pupils feel connected and included in the school community, enjoy positive relationships with peers and staff and understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

In addition, St Benedict’s recently welcomed Paige, from the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust, who installed two new drainage planters at the school and ran workshops with pupils on protecting local rivers and wildlife.

The sensory garden and wider environmental initiatives at St Benedict’s aim to provide pupils with hands on opportunities to care for their school grounds, nurture wellbeing, and learn about sustainability, while encouraging teamwork and respect for the natural world.

Mrs Croker, headteacher at St Benedict's Catholic Primary School, said: “We are delighted to see our sensory prayer garden taking shape and are very grateful to Mendip and District Round Table 642 for the grant.”

Helen Taylor, CEO of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust said: “The sensory garden at St Benedict’s is a brilliant example of how schools within the Dunstan Catholic Education Trust provide enriching and practical learning experiences.”