MARSHWOOD Primary School has won £500 to help repair and enlarge its pond.

The school wants to get the pond back up and running and have a wild flower area in its field, and this can be made possible that’s to the boost from the Wessex Watermark Award.

The award provides funds for environmental projects within the Wessex Water area and, now in its 25th year, has supported nearly 1,000 environmental initiatives.

PTA member Zanna Hoskins said: “The school presently has two outdoor projects it wants to complete.

“One is taking the opportunity to enlarge our existing pond before replacing the punctured lining, and the second is to clear the scrub and brambles from the school’s bottom field and prepare it for planting a wild flower area.

“The two projects are inter-dependent as the contractor who will prepare our field for the wild flower area will enlarge the pond on the same visit.

“We are fortunate in having a pond dipping platform which will be put to good use once the pond has been fitted with its new lining.

“The children are actively involved in both projects and both the wild flower garden and the pond area will have laminated information boards.

“The wild flower area will note the trees, birds, insects and butterflies, while the pond board will illustrate pond life.

“The school is delighted to have this support from Wessex Water, which will help get our pond dipping project up and running.”

The Wessex Watermark Awards are organised by The Conservation Foundation who judge all the projects.

Wessex Water’s Meghan Upton, said: “These are two great outdoor projects which will complement each other and improve the wildlife habitat for insects, butterflies and bees.

“Learning can be so much more fun when it comes with a fishing net and jam jar and I am looking forward to meeting the children and their teachers who will show me the work in progress.”