A Powys school was awarded over £9,000 as part of a community fund towards a community garden on the premises.

The Hafren Dyfrdwy Community Fund awarded £9,875 to the Friends of Ysgol Meifod to support their community project, Meifod Coronation Gardens.

The fund grant was supplied as part of the water company’s “commitment to support local communities” within their region.

The project centred on improving the quality a community space for local residents, who had highlighted a lack of outdoor social spaces.

Jacqueline Bullen, one of the project’s organisers, said “We set out to provide a welcoming environment to be used all year round bringing together the community, promoting inclusion, reducing isolation and loneliness.

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“We wanted multiple social groups to benefit. We have a large multi-generational family base, and this hub encourages simple pleasures such as outdoor picnics, having somewhere nice to sit, indulge in nature, watch the children play safely and benefit from the sensory elements.

“By creating a further organic space to grow flowers/vegetables, encourage bees, butterflies, and birds we have become more sustainable, and we are leading by example in looking after our wonderful planet.”

The area has used eco-friendly solutions to maintaining it, such as water-butts across the site to collect rainwater for watering the plants and vegetables and a small solar water fountain

According to the Friends of Ysgol Meifod, the project has used as many natural materials as possible, from employing local contractors to build the wooden structures, commissioning community-based group Llanfyllin Shed to build some of the planters, and the purchase of recycled benches, seating and planters.

The garden also has several sensory features such as reflective mirrors which are brightly coloured, solar lighting, chalk boards, fairy garden and wind chimes too.

Ms Bullen added: “In time, once the planting is truly established this will foster and encourage further community use and ownership.”