Surrey teacher wins national gardening award
Felicity Sturge transformed a disused area of the school into a blossoming school garden and allotment.
A teacher in Surrey has won a national gardening award.
Felicity Sturge, a teacher at Guildford High School, has been announced as the Royal Horticultural Society School Gardening Champion of the Year 2023.
It's a highly contested competition with hundreds of entries. Felicity Sturge was rewarded by the RHS panel for her commitment and outreach work with other schools,
In 2021, Felicity transformed a weedy, disused area of school grounds into the now blossoming school garden and allotment. Felicity started by offering a gardening course to Sixth Form students.
"I couldn't believe it, it was a dream come true."
The rest of the school then followed with learning sessions focussed on nature, sustainability, and food provenance, designed to inspire curiosity in nature.
Felicity regularly reaches out to visitors from The West Surrey Partnership, a partnership of 29 schools in Surrey.
"Just after easter we found out that I was in the final five... we were so excited.
"Then we found out a few weeks later that we'd won. I couldn't believe it, it was a dream come true."
Felicity also explained that more students have got involved.
"Gradually we've got more and more students involved so running clubs for the lower school, and also getting the junior school up here. We had reception here last week, they had the time of their lives, in the wild flower patch, trying to identify plants, spotting all the insects."
The renowned horticulturalist Frances Tophill was one of the judges. Felicity explained that as part of the prize, Frances will be visiting the school.
"In a few weeks we're having Frances Tophill come and present us with our prize - which is a patio glasshouse and I think some vouchers towards gardening.
"She's going to come and do a little activity with the students in the garden... we can't wait to have her here."