A SCHOOL in Worcester has received £9,000 to spend on a new sensory garden.

Oasis Academy, in Warndon, was given the grant by the National Lottery Funding scheme after applying in January.

Fay Osbourne, community hub & family support worker at Oasis Academy Warndon, said: “This is our first significant grant for the hub since we opened a year ago, in fact we got the news of the award a day before our 1st birthday celebrations, so this gave us something extra to celebrate.”

“We are so excited to be able to bring this garden to our local community, having a safe place to play and explore locally is something that families and local residents talk a lot about.

“We are very much looking forward to making this initial idea a reality and getting lots of people involved along the way too.”

The garden will include zoned areas such as “sensory” with a music wall, touch and sound wall and a barefoot trail and sensory garden, a “nature” area which will enable them to create a wildlife zone with a look out hide, and a wildflower meadow with a range of habitats to encourage urban wildlife and the growth of bio-diversity.

Emily Hobson, principal of Oasis Academy Warndon, added: “Receiving this grant is amazing and will enable us to develop our Hub even further. This is all down to the dedication and hard work of Fay, we cannot wait to see what this will offer to our local community.”

The community hub, which opened a year ago, offers opportunities for extended learning to local families, delivers a range of activities and support sessions including holiday lunch clubs, fitness classes, job clubs, and community breakfasts.