Charity creates sensory garden at Misterton school

A sensory garden has been created at a primary school thanks to a charity set up by a grieving mother.
By Kate Mason
Published 4th Apr 2019, 06:20 BST
Updated 16th Apr 2019, 19:12 BST
The sensory garden was created at Misterton Primary school thanks to Help Me, I’m Fine – a charity set up by Helen Cousin after tragically losing her teenage daughter, Maisie, to suicide in June 2017.The sensory garden was created at Misterton Primary school thanks to Help Me, I’m Fine – a charity set up by Helen Cousin after tragically losing her teenage daughter, Maisie, to suicide in June 2017.
The sensory garden was created at Misterton Primary school thanks to Help Me, I’m Fine – a charity set up by Helen Cousin after tragically losing her teenage daughter, Maisie, to suicide in June 2017.

The sensory garden was created at Misterton Primary school thanks to Help Me, I’m Fine – a charity set up by Helen Cousin after tragically losing her teenage daughter, Maisie, to suicide in June 2017.

Part of the charity’s aim is to build the emotional resilience of primary school children in the Isle and Doncaster area.

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Helen believes that supporting the emotional health of children in primary school will give them the tools they may need as teenagers to cope with life’s ups and downs, ultimately reducing the likelihood of other teenagers taking their own lives.

Helen said: “When Maisie died it devastated not only us as a family but the whole community. As a thank you for their support I wanted to create a sensory garden that could be used by the children and the wider community.”

The garden at Misterton was created thanks to the support of national charity Thrive who decided to nominate them as the Thrive charity of the year.

Thrive has developed a specific way of working with all children that supports their social and emotional wellbeing. It draws on established neuroscience, attachment theory and child development, and has created a systematic approach to the early identification of emotional and social developmental needs in children.

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Schools at Westwoodside, Belton, Crowle, Misterton and Epworth have had Thrive training, with Haxey and Gringley schools on the waiting list.

Viv Trask-Hall, principal trainer for Thrive, said: “In the Thrive Approach we recognise that being outside is inherently calming. I am delighted we are supporting the sensory garden at Misterton.

“It will provide essential opportunities for sensory exploration - smell, sight, touch and sound – and give the children the chance to put language to their sensations. It is so important to explore the outdoors, to experience being alongside others and be in a place where you can feel creative, still and calm. The sensory garden will help children to relax, have fun and develop a healthy sense of self.”

Funding for a wellbeing award at Misterton school has also been secured.