Our Eco Project Just Got a Lot More Feathery

There’s been lots of excitement here at Parochial as work begins on our brand-new chicken coop – affectionately known as Peckingham Palace! Built by Mr Ryan, our fantastic caretaker, the coop is being created using a £1,500 grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Eco-Grants for Schools scheme.

And it’s not just us who are excited – our project made the local news this week! You can read the full article here.

The coop will become home to three rescued hens in September, helping to bring one of our most unloved corners of school back to life. It’s all part of a bigger project to transform the area into a thriving green space. We’ve already got our allotment up and running (beetroot and peas are doing well!) and the chickens are the next exciting step.

Mrs Thompson explained:

“We’ve got a really eco-conscious group of children at Parochial. This project will help them learn about food, sustainability and animal care in a really hands-on way.”

The hens will be looked after by the children, who’ll feed them, collect eggs, and make sure they’re happy and healthy. Any eggs they lay will go towards our school food bank or be used in food tech lessons.

There’s also a wellbeing side to the project – rescued hens are known to have a calming effect, especially for children who need a quiet moment or brain break. We hope they’ll become much-loved members of the Parochial family.

And yes – the coop is fox-proof and big enough for the children to go inside!

Our eco corner already includes a peaceful pond and reflection area that links beautifully to our school’s Christian values. We’re proud that this project combines care for the planet, our community and each other.

As Cllr Laura Boyle from Tameside Council said:

“I think Parochial’s chicken coop project is a superb idea... I’m sure Peckingham Palace will be a right royal success.”

We’ll be keeping everyone updated once the chickens arrive – watch this space for photos, names and eggs!