Celebrating biodiversity with young flowerbed designers
Students from IntoUniversity, a charity which inspires young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, have blossomed as landscape architects as part of a colourful University of Leeds project.
Their winning flowerbed designs have been unveiled by Vice-Chancellor Sir Alan Langlands.
The University Sustainability Service invited the 7-12 year olds to learn about the importance of biodiversity. The children designed flowerbeds for the campus to increase its biodiversity and make it brighter and more colourful.
Three winning designs have been planted in key locations on campus. They were selected by Dennis Hopper (Director of Facilities Management), Louise Ellis (Head of Sustainability) and Jenny Barlow (Sustainability Projects Officer).
Sir Alan Langlands said: "The University of Leeds encourages collaboration at all levels – that is why it was so exciting to see different departments work together with the local community in order to create something long-lasting and joyful for our campus.”
Rosie Kenwood, Centre Leader of IntoUniversity Leeds East in Harehills said: “This has been a great opportunity for our students to feel more connected with the University. To have been able to design something which is a feature on campus and seen by all those who attend, visit or teach at the University of Leeds brings our students another step closer to feeling that university is an achievable dream. It has also given them the opportunity to learn about the natural world around them and this is reflected in their final designs.
“IntoUniversity looks forward to showing the flowerbeds to all the children we bring to campus throughout the year.”
IntoUniversity is a national education charity which supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and inspires them towards their aspirations, such as higher education.
A second Leeds IntoUniversity centre opened in Beeston in April 2016, in partnership with the University of Leeds with the support of a £345,000 grant from the Asda Foundation and funding from The Queen’s Trust.
You can see the flowerbeds on either side of the Parkinson steps.
Posted in: University news