Playground is a haven for service families' children

The Room to Grow garden at Collinton Primary school in Edinburgh, which was officially opened last week, is designed to provide a refuge of fun and tranquillity for pupils from nursery to Primary 7, in particular the 90 per cent of the children whose parents are stationed at nearby Dreghorn or Redford Barracks and currently serving in Afghanistan.

The garden features a labyrinth, amphitheatre, play zone, sensory area, recycle and grow area, pond and wildlife zone and a sheltered outdoor classroom.

It aims to offer opportunities to extend children's emotional and social health and well-being.

Children are free to use the garden at break times, at lunch time and after school. It is also open to members of the local community.

The Room to Grow garden took three years to complete and was developed from waste land next to the school owned by the council.

A team of parents, teachers, members of training provider A4e, the army and volunteers from the local community helped transform the site. The project was funded with money from the RAF's Annington Trust, the Army Central Fund and donations from parents and businesses.

Deputy headteacher Leanne Sharpe, who came up with the idea for the garden, also contacted the team from BBC Scotland's gardening programme 'Beechgrove Garden'. The show featured it as a 'community garden' in a one-hour special last September and plans to do a follow-up programme this summer.

Ms Sharpe said, 'The garden is a good distraction for children whose parents serve in the army. It provides escapism and support, and helps them forget about everything else. Some of the children come to play in the garden and some just talk to their friends.

'Since opening the Room to Grow garden, we have noticed a positive change in some of the children, with normally very shy pupils opening up as soon as they get outside.'