On the afternoon of Friday 13th May 2011, 3 photographers visited our 'Dig for Victory' garden to take a range of photographs for Plymouth City Council and for the local papers. This was the first time this year that the children had been out in the garden along with all the artefacts we have been collecting, and it was great to see them posing alongside our A.R.P. wardens and learning about the artefacts associated with WWII, the civil defence and the home front. The afternoon was just a taster session for the children involved, as there are many more activities planned around the WWII garden for the rest of this term.
The afternoon also saw the first children to experience the inside of the Anderson Shelter, and although unfinished at the time, this caused great excitement! Once the reporters and photographers were gone, the garden was explored by the children in year 4 and 6.
I hope you enjoy looking through the following photographs; the garden is no where near finished yet, but these pictures will give you an idea of the general layout and some of the learning resources and artefacts we have accumulated.
To coincide with this media event, and the launch of the Plymouth in Bloom competition, Plymouth City Council posted the following press release on their website:
Primary pupils ‘Dig for Victory’ in Plymouth in Bloom competition
"Children at Elburton primary are putting their green fingers to work in their school garden and taking part in Plymouth in Bloom. Their theme for 2011 is ‘Dig for Victory’ to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the WWII blitz in Plymouth.
Their garden is packed full of vegetables that would have been grown at the time but there are also some other interesting additions. A renovated Anderson air raid shelter is taking pride of place in the Second World War themed display. It was donated by a Plymouth resident who found it in an overgrown garden.
Marine engineering apprentices at Babcock have created replica parts of a German Messerschmitt plane. The nose cone and propeller, tail and wing will appear as a crashed plane in the Battle of Britain. Instead of a traditional scarecrow this garden will have the plane’s pilot parachuting out of the sky.
The potting shed has also been transformed into an air raid warden’s post and will be manned by mannequins donning authentic warden uniforms. The aim of the project is to teach the pupils not only about gardening and growing their own food but also about the Second World War and how it affected Plymouth.
Councillor Michael Leaves, Cabinet Member for Community Services (Street Scene, Waste and Sustainability) said: “Last year Elburton primary bagged a handful of gold awards in Plymouth in Bloom and it is fantastic to see the children and teachers enthusiasm and hard work this year. The effort that has gone in to this creative and educational garden is a credit to all involved and we are very pleased that our schools are continuing to take part in this community competition.”
As part of the Plymouth in Bloom campaign schools can enter the best school garden or vegetable plot and best scarecrow categories, the closing date is 17 June 2011, and there is a poster competition for which the closing date is 1 July.
This year’s Plymouth in Bloom has a military theme as the Hoe Garden is being used to commemorate 90 years of the Royal British Legion. A giant red floral poppy feature will be created as the centrepiece and service flags will fly above the garden celebrating the city’s strong links with the military. Plymouth in Bloom is run by the Plymouth City Council’s parks services team"
