The Lord Mayor officially opens Warren's Woodland at Stamshaw Infant School with the Dowling Family
The Dowling family have been at it again, creating another fantastic outdoor space, this time over at the infant school, for all the children to enjoy.
In September 2023, they offically opened 'Wozza's Little Creepers' pond over at the Junior school with a huge birthday bash for their wonderful son Warren.
Creating the pond was a true labour of love and a real family affair with the whole family getting involved in the project leaving a lasting legacy at the Junior school complete with amazing outdoor
learning space. Since the pond opened, all the children at SJS have been out enjoying the area, remembering their friend Wozza fondly. The pond has been a huge sucess and we know Warren would be so proud of his family for everything they have done in his honour, but the Dowling family did not stop there. Almost as soon as the pond was finished they set their sights to regenerating a disused area of woodland over at the infant school to ensure that both schools had an area in which they can remember Warren and a space for all the children to benefit from learning outdoors.
When Mrs Fancey first approached the PATCH team about this project and lead us into the bushes behind the pirate ship, we didn't really know what to expect, but little did we know that behind the pirate ship was a magical woodland area which no-one really knew about. It was overgrown with trees and shurbs and not able to be used by the children and we wondered how it would possibly be made into a space for the children to enjoy.
Lucky for us, the Dowling family had a wonderful vision of what could be created and set about working on the woodland thoughout the extremely cold and wet winter months.
We were very lucky to receive some amazing funding from the wonderful people over at BUPA with a Groundworks
Foundation grant. The money awarded by BUPA and Groundworks meant that the Dowlings could really bring the idea of a magical woodland walk to life and we are an awe of what they have been able to create.
On Monday the 18th of March 2024 the Lord Mayor came along and offically opened the woodland. All the children came out to see the Lord Mayor cut the ribbon. Every class had the chance to come through the woodland and have a look around. It was a magical moment, seeing all the children look around this enchanting in wonder, their imaginations brimming with tales of fairies who had made this woodland their home. The Dowlings looked on with pride, in what was a bitter sweat moment. The opening of the woodland was a huge achievement, but also marked one year and one day since the tragic loss of Warren, who passed away from an asthma attack on 17th March 2023.
The legacy the Dowling family have created at both the schools which Warren loved attending will last for years to come. We at PATCH know how proud Wozza would be of his family and everything they have achieved for him. He left a huge hole in our community and he his missed and spoken about every day. These two wonderful spaces are his gift to his schools, and we are sure he is watching over them with his infamous cheeky smile.
Come and take a look around the woodland with us!