Six-year-old Kate Perry, a pupil of Coleham Primary School, Shrewsbury, melted the hearts of staff at the town's specialist plants centre, Love Plants, with a letter appealing for help.
The school’s volunteer gardener, Trevor Mathews, who died at Christmas, always helped pupils to grow plants to sell at a plant fair in May. Headteacher Claire Jones has been appealing for donations of seeds and plants to enable the school to go ahead with the annual event.
Kate decided to take matters into her own hands by writing to Tony Bywater, chairman of Love Plants and caravan dealership Salop Leisure in Shrewsbury, and delivering the letter with her mum, Nicola.
She wrote: Dear Mr Bywater. My name is Kate Perry and I go to Coleham School in Shrewsbury. This year our lovely gardener Trevor died. We sell the plants he helps us to grow at our plant fair in May. We don’t have many. Can you help us?”
Mr Bywater said: “We were all touched by the lovely letter from Kate and more than happy to help the school. She is a great credit to her family and to the school.”
Love Plants’ manager Tim Robinson this week delivered a selection of bulbs and plants to the school to support the plant fair and wished pupils success with the event.
“Following the sad loss of Trevor at Christmas, we struggled to replace him, which is why I have been asking for donations of seeds or plants, so that we can still go ahead with our plant fair in May,” explained Mrs Jones.
“Fortunately, we now have Phil Henshaw, who represents Shrewsbury Rotary Club, working in the garden on a temporary basis and a number of other gardeners and waterers helping out, so the generous donation from Love Plants is great news for the school.”
