Insect hotels and hedgehog homes donated to Hemel Hempstead school
Pupils at Holtsmere End Junior School in Hemel Hempstead are eagerly awaiting a visit from local hedgehogs after homes for the animals were donated by a housebuilder.
Vistry Group, which is building under its Countryside Homes brand at the nearby Beaumont Manor development, has supplied a selection of items aimed at attracting the creatures – and other local wildlife - onto the school grounds.
The housebuilder has provided three insect hotels and three hedgehog homes to enhance the school’s wildlife area, as well as some hedgehog food for the prickly mammals to eat.
The structures will offer shelter and resting spots for the animals, and will sit among the wild trees, shrubbery and pond within the wildlife area. The dedicated nature space is used both as an informal spot for the children to play in and a learning environment where they can spot insects and go on walks.
Fouzia Ahmed, a learning mentor at Holtsmere End Junior School, said: “Our wildlife area offers a multitude of benefits for the children, from the chance to learn about the world around them to the positive impact that spending time in nature has on their wellbeing.
“We welcome the items that Vistry have kindly donated. They will be a great addition to our wildlife area. Many of our children have already started asking questions about the need for bug hotels and hedgehog houses. This provides us with the opportunity to highlight the importance of preservation of wildlife and its ecological benefits.
“Some of our younger children are either not familiar with or have never seen a hedgehog before. We are hoping that once the homes are set up, children will be able to visit and see these wonderful creatures in real life.”
Verity Macey, managing director of Vistry Central Home Counties, said: “At Vistry, we recognise the importance of encouraging and protecting local wildlife and we work closely with organisations such as the Bumblebee Conversation Trust and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society to promote biodiversity across our developments.
“Empowering future generations to learn and care about the environment is absolutely vital so it’s really encouraging to hear how the insect hotels and hedgehog homes we’ve donated have sparked the children’s interest and fed their curiosity for the natural world around them.”
Vistry is building the first phase of 276 mixed-tenure homes under its Countryside Homes brand at Beaumont Manor, on land off Three Cherry Trees Lane. For more information about the development, visit: www.countrysidehomes.com.