Green-fingered Hartlepool pupils dig in to boost Summerhill

Green-fingered school pupils got out of the classroom to plant dozens of new saplings at a Hartlepool country park.
St Aidans Worship Council pupils taking part in a tree planting session at Summerhill Country Park and Visitor Centre.St Aidans Worship Council pupils taking part in a tree planting session at Summerhill Country Park and Visitor Centre.
St Aidans Worship Council pupils taking part in a tree planting session at Summerhill Country Park and Visitor Centre.

A total of 10 pupils and two teachers from St Aidan’s Church of England Memorial Primary School were on hand to help with the tree planting at the town’s Summerhill Country Park.

The pupils – who were all members of St Aidan’s Worship Council – were also joined by the Reverend Gemma Sampson for the activity.

Reverend Gemma Sampson planting a sapling at Summerhill.Reverend Gemma Sampson planting a sapling at Summerhill.
Reverend Gemma Sampson planting a sapling at Summerhill.
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On behalf of Summerhill – which is a 100 acre Country Park off Catcote Road - the Friends of Hartlepool’s Wild Green Spaces group has applied for and received donations of trees from the Woodland Trust.

Staff and volunteers at Summerhill encourage schools in the area to get involved in tree planting so that they learn about green spaces and are more likely to look after the environment in their future lives.

Adam Reah, from Summerhill Country Park and Visitor Centre, said: “Environmental education is very important.

“We find that the vast majority of young people in Hartlepool really do care about green issues and it was fantastic to see children from St Aidan’s Worship Council helping out.”

Reverend Gemma Sampson planting a sapling at Summerhill.Reverend Gemma Sampson planting a sapling at Summerhill.
Reverend Gemma Sampson planting a sapling at Summerhill.
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Reverend Sampson, who is St Aidan’s curate, said: “We’re working to become an International Cross of Nails School (ICON).

“ICON status would mean we are part of an increasing network of schools around the world that have recognised the opportunity for introducing the principles of reconciliation into their school community.

“As part of our work to become an ICON school, we have been looking for exciting projects to get involved with and this seemed like a great opportunity to teach our young people about ways to protect the environment for future users.”

To find out more about Summerhill Country Park and Visitor Centre and events it hosts visit www.hartlepool.gov.uk/summerhill.