Children at Madeley Nursery have been getting to know pseudoscorpions and worms thanks to two local Master Composters.
Colin and Louise are part of the Shropshire Master Composter volunteer programme, an initiative supported by Veolia Shropshire, which promotes home composting. The pair visited the nursery to support the children’s learning with guidance on their compost, getting hands on with leaf mold making and discovering mini-beasts in the compost. The children were particularly interested in the bugs - enjoying follow on activities such as drawing them and making clay models.
This comes as many people across the country are spending more time than ever in their gardens amid the Covid-19 restrictions. Garden waste tonnages collected by Veolia in partnership with Telford & Wrekin Council have doubled, and people are finding home composting is an excellent way for residents to manage their extra garden waste.
Debbie, a teacher at the nursery, said: “It has been enlightening and an absolute pleasure to have Colin and Louise come in to the nursery and work alongside us. The children have been fascinated with the variety of life in the hot (compost) bin. At Madeley Nursery we are always seeking to enhance both the adults’ and the children’s understanding of the ecology around us. We work with our community and families to develop an inquiry into and love of nature and the natural world.”
Rachel Phillips-Street, Shropshire Master Composter Coordinator, said: “Composting is a great way to make use of garden waste, it’s a win-win, disposing of your garden waste and turning it into a resource to enrich your soil. It’s really easy to get started too - visit the Shropshire Master Composters Facebook page to find out how.”
(Children's drawing inspired by pseudoscorpions discovered on the composting workshop)