The housebuilder donated £1,000 to Charleston School as part of its Eco-Gardens initiative, which aims to support the development of vibrant green spaces and sustainability in the communities within which it builds.

The Stewart Milne Homes funding has been used to purchase wood for building planters in a new sensory area, bulbs and compost, and a selection of child-friendly tools and watering cans. It has also gone towards a much-needed revamp of the school shed, as well as rainwater collection butts and drainpipes to help water the plants.

The Eco-Gardens initiative has allowed the pupils the opportunity to take ownership over the plants and green spaces, learn how fruit and vegetables grow and how this can all be linked to a healthy lifestyle. Stewart Milne Homes hopes to inspire the next generation of gardeners to experience the joy of growing their own plants and vegetables.

As well as the funding, school children also received hi-vis vests to help keep them safe whilst outdoors, especially in the darker winter months.

Stewart Milne Homes continues to progress the development of its Charleston development, where it has created a stunning collection of two, three, four, five and six-bedroom homes nestled in the seaside village of Cove, just a two-minute walk from Charleston School.

Tanya Fowlie, sales manager at Stewart Milne Homes’ Charleston development, said: “We’re very proud to support Charleston School with funding to help them enhance the garden areas within the school grounds and create vibrant spaces for outdoor learning and natural play.

“It’s great to see the school foster a love of nature from an early age and helping to inspire the pupils to learn about the environment around them.

“The school is situated in the heart of our Charleston development, so we were thrilled to come along to the school to see first-hand the enthusiasm the children have for gardening and creating new spaces around their school they can be proud of. This closely echoes the people-first approach we take to the communities, where creating spaces for families to enjoy the outdoors is always front of mind.”

Dan Hall, depute head teacher at Charleston School, said: “Outdoor learning is integral to our curriculum as it supports the development of healthy and active lifestyles in our pupils and is proven to help grow their confidence, social skills and communication.

“We want to thank Stewart Milne Homes for their generous donation which has gone a long way to not only improve the green areas around the school, but also to inspire a new love of the outdoors in many of our pupils.

“Taking ownership of the green areas around the schools, planting flowers and watching them grow has been a fantastic opportunity for the pupils to learn about science and nature, and they’ve really enjoyed seeing the results as the plants start to flower.

“The hi-vis vests will be used year-round to keep the children safe as we continue to improve the outdoor areas, including our plan to develop an outdoor play area which the whole school can benefit from.”