The autumn sunshine helped ensure the Open Day was another successful event in the Blundell’s Garden. Year 1 started the activities with snail races and using Playdough to make models of insects and items they found in the garden. This was followed by a visit from NHS Staff at Clare House Surgery. After lunch we hosted the Head Boy and Girl along with some of the Ambassadors
from Tiverton High School. They met with our Heads of School and some Year 11 pupils to discuss ways in which we could work together in the future. The meeting which was fuel with ice creams was incredibly positive and will I am sure lead to some exciting joint ventures in the future. At the end of the day Year 7 and 8 parents were welcomed to the Garden, shown around by the Friday Garden Club members before enjoying the refreshments on offer.
The Garden Café was open and run throughout the day by volunteers and members of the newly formed Community Action Team. Smoothies, hot chocolate, tray bakes and lollies were enjoyed by the whole school community. At lunch time there were two delicious soups available made completely from ingredients grown in the garden, they were parsnip and lavender and butternut squash and thyme soup.
This term’s Open Day saw a very competitive apple bobbing challenge and the first Inter House Scarecrow competition. An excellent late arrival from North Close and a brilliant ‘entry level’ scarecrow from Francis House joined a realistic Blundell’s blazer wearing, pizza holding scarecrow for Petergate. In the end the judges went with Old House in third place with a well-engineered pumpkin construction, and Harry Potters Dobby complete with sock from Gorton House in second. The winners were School House with a brilliant “Where’s that pesky mole?!” theme which caused most people on the day to think a Year 7 pupil had been half buried in the garden.
The day ended with a visit to Tiverton Town Hall for the annual presentation evening for the Tiverton in Bloom Awards (part of the South West, Britain in Bloom Awards). As a town, Tiverton won a Gold Award, and our pupils won a cup for the best School Garden and a Level 4 certificate for the RSH Schools Campaign.
My thanks must go to everyone involved in ensuring the day ran so smoothly, the amazing Catering Team for the Café snacks and amazing soup and all the pupils who volunteered to run the Café throughout the day.
Mr Charlie Olive
Director of Community Partnerships