Children from Pilgrim’s Way Primary School won a blooming marvellous prize for taking the top spot at a walk to school challenge.

Year 6 class Fantastic Foxes had the biggest percentage of pupils walking to school on the contest date. Their reward was a day of In Bloom Sensory Garden Workshops donated by Whitefriars shopping area.

The workshops were hosted by Martyn Barr, an award-winning children’s educational author, and Peter Buscall, horticultural director at the Fifth Trust charity.

Mr Barr said: "The children had great fun learning about the five senses and how they relate to gardens. There were loads of hands-on activities to get them thinking about the importance of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste to all the processes and interactions that go towards making a successful garden.

“They were delighted to receive their own copy of the Whitefriars-sponsored ‘Garden Science’ book to take home and read more about the importance of plants and why, without them, there would be no human life on this planet."

Teacher Katie Rogers, who accompanied her pupils to the workshops, said: “The children had an absolute blast and have been talking about it all week! What a great way to spend their last few days at school.”

Julie Holness of Whitefriars shopping area congratulated the Fantastic Foxes class. “It was a pleasure to reward the children’s accomplishment with this prize,” she said. “They had a wonderful day.”

Comments from the children included:

• "I loved inventing my own smoothies, they were delicious!"
• "We painted and decorated pots and planted a sunflower seed. I can't wait to see mine grow!"
• "When we made Cheerio bird feeders I had to stop myself from eating all of them!"
• "The people that came to help we're lovely and kind. They helped us all day and made us laugh with their jokes!"

Whitefriars sponsored four workshop prizes to be awarded as part of the centre’s ‘In Bloom’ activities for 2014.

The contest was open to schools in the district taking part in KM Walk to School, as part of the Kentish Gazette's Love Your City campaign.

KM Walk to School is a Kent CC-led initiative and supported by Canterbury City Council, Mini Babybel, Countrystyle Recycling, Specsavers, Whitefriars shopping centre, Fenwick, Chaucer Foundation, IMP, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment agency and Eurostar.

For more information on KM Walk to School schemes, including Walk on Wednesday and Active Bug, visit www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk.