Festive test for schools

The National Botanic Garden of Wales is hosting its annual Christmas Tree Decorating Competition on Thursday 5th December. Pupils from 20 schools will be taking part with this year’s theme being ‘A Fairytale Christmas’.

The schools will each be up against the clock to decorate their Christmas tree using reused and recycled materials to create imaginative and colourful decorations based on this year’s theme.

The aims of the event are to:

• Promote sustainability and the re-use and recycling of materials

• Enable pupils to get their creative juices flowing

• Have fun

The schools taking part are (Carmarthenshire): Hendygwyn, Bro Myrddin, Amman Valley, Pwll, QE High School, St Mary’s Carmarthen, Ysgol Y Felin, Cefniethin and Rhydygors; (Swansea) Pontarddulais, Cefnhengoed, Bishopston and Morriston; (Vale) St Nicholas primary; (Ceredigion) Cenarth, Aberaeron, Aberporth; (Neath-Port Talbot) Cwmtawe Comprehensive; (Cardiff) Willowbrook.

The sponsors are Cled Moses, Gas Services Wales, Base Wales, Cwm Environmental. The competition is also supported by Ecoschools, Welsh Water and Carmarthenshire County Council.

The Garden’s Head of Learning Jane Richmond said: “This is a popular event with schools and really marks the start of the festive season for us. It is ideal for an eco committee to take part in and it ties in brilliantly with Design Technology. It also provides visitors to the Garden with a wonderful festive spectacle.”

She added: “We would like to thank all our sponsors for their support once again in making this event possible.”

The Christmas trees will be on show in the Great Glasshouse until the new year.

For more information about this and other festive events at the Garden, call 01558 667149 or visit www.gardenofwales.org.uk or email info@gardenofwales.org.uk