11:02am Friday 15th June 2012
By Hermione Wright
Spurs legend Gary Mabbutt opened a sensory garden at a school for children with special needs yesterday.
Work on the garden of Durants School in Pitfield Way started in September last year after the school put in a successful bid for £60,000 from the People's Millions, which is part of the Big Lottery Fund.
Defender Mabbutt, who played for Spurs for 16 years until he retired in 1998, got on board with the good cause and made a presentation to the lottery fund to help the school’s application for the money.
Durants School, which is a school for children with special needs, has used the money to upgrade the existing garden to provide pupils with a relaxing and calming space.
School business manager Eddi Banks said the 50-year-old Spurs star was “absolutely amazed” to see the improvements made to the garden.
She added: “We have created a safe area for parents and children to come and socialise which is a really important part of life-long learning for our autistic children.
“I think it is really important for us to say thank you to all the community who has supported us, including local schools and business. It has made people realise we are there and what we are about, which is important because we are a small school.”
The garden is now complete with a sand cabin for children to play inside, bird boxes to encourage wildlife to the garden and mosaics created by the children in preparation for yesterday’s official opening.
Enfield businesses pulled together by lending the school skips to dispose of the waste, as well as helping them with paving areas of the garden.
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