After several days of almost continuous rain, Friday 29th November proved to be a sunny day, suitable for gardening activity. At the invitation of the Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS), a group of year 3 and year 4 pupils from Handforth Grange School helped plant a selection of spring bulbs at the station.
The children, accompanied by two of their teachers, assembled on the station concourse. After a safety briefing and being issued with hi-vis jackets and gardening tools, the children made their way down to the wooden planter on the southbound platform.
Here they set to with a will to plant approximately 70 daffodil bulbs in ground immediately behind the planter. Having positioned the bulbs in a prepared trench, the children carefully covered them with compost and soil. They then plated a large number of crocus bulbs within the wooden planter.
Having returned to the station concourse, the children planted more crocus and daffodil bulbs in two of the concrete planters sited in front of the ticket office.
The work performed by the children of Handforth Grange School forms a very useful part of a much larger initiative by FoHS. Hundreds of daffodil, crocus and narcissus bulbs have now been planted by FoHS in the embankment adjoining the southbound platform. It is hoped that the station will have an impressive display of flowers in the Spring.
Andrew Backhouse, Chair of Friends of Handforth Station, said: "We congratulate Handforth Grange School on the keen interest and excellent behaviour exhibited by its pupils, and we thank Mrs Booth and other teaching staff who made the station visit possible. Above all, the year 3 and 4 pupils have done a great job to ensure that Handforth Station will enjoy a good springtime floral display. Thanks are also due to Shentons' Farm Shop and Parkers Garden Centre for their generous donations of daffodil and crocus bulbs respectively."