Blue Peter’s Chris helps create green legacy for Angmering

The man behind the popular children’s television programme’s celebrated garden, now relocated to the BBC’s new base in Salford, met pupils from both the village’s primary schools on Thursday.

It was his second time in Angmering – in the autumn, Chris helped more than 100 children from St Margaret’s CE Primary School to create their “Legacy Garden” on the open space near the village’s community centre, based on their design which won the school a Southern Water Garden Challenge competition.

And on Thursday he was back to see how the garden has been progressing.

“They have done brilliantly,” said Chris. “It’s absolutely superb. They came up with the design – it’s their baby, I just guided them through it.

“They were very enthusiastic and every one of them enjoyed doing it.”

The garden is described as “water-friendly”, and well-suited to the recent drought-like conditions of the current spring. It has two benches and a walkway within its circular design.

Ferring Nurseries was also involved in its construction, together with some Southern Water staff.

Southern Water held the competition for schools across Sussex, Kent and Hampshire, to celebrate the 10th anniversary last year of its sponsorship of South and South East in Bloom.

After lunch at the Angmering Manor Hotel, with members of the Angmering in Bloom Association, Chris then visited St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School, where he gave pupils an illustrated talk on the joys of gardening, and then helped them to take part in the Royal Horticultural Society’s wildflower planting campaign for the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

Chris was presented with a picture of St Wilfrid’s as a souvenir of his visit.