Community shows Blitz spirit with school project

As Team Leader Tec for Science and Technology, she was intrigued when she saw a nationwide allotment scheme by the Imperial War Museum called Dig For Victory.

Her idea of a war-time allotment alongside a modern-day one really took off when head teacher Mike Conn approved the use of a patch of land, and pupils got their spades out.

Sarah-Jane is thrilled by the amount of support shown by local businesses and individuals in Bexhill and has kept a diary of progress so far.

Here are some of the highlights of a busy few days:

*We had Jewsons step up and give us two tons of ballast towards our project, and they even delivered it for free. So, as well as lending us industrial equipment they have been generous with materials.

*The Science kids came on board to help finish the clearing of the area and removal of remaining weeds and alike. They were really involved and more than happy to help, not a moan was heard and they are all very keen to continue participating.

*Mr Peter Hewison from Field Gardening Services arrived like one man and his dog and spent the morning strimming back any out of hand foliage and taking the remaining grass to ground level ready for the build to begin!

Cee Jay Signs of Bexhill phoned to say the sign they have made us is ready for collection so Tricia Randall and myself go to collect it. Its brilliant! We cannot believe the generosity of some of these businesses.

*Our article appeared in the Bexhill Observer and the children are over the moon. It really spurs them on and they concentrate over the next couple of days in practising getting the foundations of their raised structures spot on before they are to build them in the secure area.

*The surveying equipment has arrived and Mr Lake and Mr Atkins teach the BTEC Building and Construction step by step what is required to complete the survey of the area for their coursework.

*Mais House contacted me on the back of the article wanting to come onboard and get involved especially as their residents remember Dig For Victory the first time round! A meeting is arranged! This initiative is getting bigger and bigger and more of the community is becoming involved! Its fantastic!

*The children started working on the foundations for where the sign is due to go and they find the old foundations of a greenhouse built at the school in the 1970s!

Sarah-Jane added:

"As you can see the children and staff have been extremely busy and none of this would be possible if it wasn't for the generosity of local businesses, staff and pupils here at Bexhill High.

It truly is a feel good community project that is bringing together different generations and now with Mais House onboard we are hoping to join together the 'older and wiser' with the 'younger and more impressionable' to assist in bridging the gap between several generations of our local community and build community relations."