Hadfield school pupils make personal plea about green space

Hadfield children are making personal pleas to a government minister in the hope of preventing more homes being built on local green land.

Pupils in Class Five at St Andrew’s CE Junior School have written to Environment Secretary George Eustice and High Peak MP Robert Largan saying ‘enough is enough’.

The letters claim the ‘urbanisation of Hadfield’ is ‘ruining the natural beauty of the landscape’, ‘that more green space is being ruined’ and that ‘homes should be built on brownfield sites’.

The children say increased home building in Hadfield is leading to more traffic and they refer to walking near roads clogged with cars breathing in deadly fumes.

They worry that building on more of Hadfield’s green fields will only add to the traffic, loss of open space and pollution problems.

A letter from ‘Charlotte’ said: “It is hard to imagine what long-lasting breathing difficulties we may experience and suffer because of air pollution.”

The children are particularly worried over the situation at Roughfields which forms a natural ‘green barrier between Hadfield and Padfield’ and is earmarked for homes.

Evie, whose grandmother is a member of the Save Roughfields group, told us: “If they carry on building on green fields there will soon be none left.”

Class teacher Sarah Hyde said: “This term, the children of St Andrew’s have been exploring the value of responsibility and the global goal of sustainable development.

“The children in Year Five specifically have written some fantastic, persuasive letters, which are pertinent to the development of Hadfield and the issues which threaten our landscape.

“Coupled with this, the children have developed posters to promote the ‘Save Roughfields’ campaign.”

GARDENERS: Youngsters at St Andrew’s CE Junior School at one of their planting areas.

St Andrew’s is one of Glossopdale’s most environmentally conscious schools and have awards to prove it.

Much of it is down to teaching assistant Claire Thompson.

Claire, who joined St Andrew’s 10 years ago, says the school is big on sustainable development.

Students have planted fruit trees and a vegetable garden with the produce used in school meals.

There are plans to put plants from the herb garden, including herbal remedies, on open sale with the profits going to buy compost for the school plots. 

They also hope to develop an adjacent field into forest school facilities.

The green-fingered successes are very much down to the school’s ‘gardening gang’.

Pupils take on the responsibility of looking after the plants they grow, they are experts on re-potting and they are proud of what they achieve.

The school also takes up national challenges set by the likes of the RSPB, the RHS and the Woodlands Trust.

The Hadfield Road school has plenty of ideas and enthusiasm but there is one big thing it needs.

Claire added: “What we need is a big storage shed and somewhere under cover for the children when the weather is bad.”

Claire and the rest of the school would love it if some one could supply it.

They would be even more delighted if George Eustice, who prefers building on brown field rather than green field sites - gives his support.

Main image:

Children at St Andrew's Junior CE School in Hadfield are petitioning Environment Secretary George Eustice to ask for his support in preventing the spread of homes being built on local greenfield sites. 

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