Wire Fence Supports Marple Hall School with New Outdoor Space

A new outdoor seating area has been created at Marple Hall School in Stockport thanks to funding from Oliver’s Dragons and discounted gabion materials supplied by Wire Fence. The completed space will support outdoor learning, gardening activities and student wellbeing for years to come.

About Marple Hall School

Marple Hall School is a secondary school in Marple, Stockport, providing education for more than 1,500 students aged 11 to 16. Guided by its core values of Spark, Determination, Respect, Readiness and Honesty, the school is committed to helping every student achieve their full potential both academically and personally.

About Elements Resource Base

The Elements Resource Base is Marple Hall School’s specialist provision for students with moderate learning needs. It offers a tailored curriculum that combines mainstream and specialist teaching, with a strong focus on developing independence, communication and everyday life skills.

Students also benefit from practical learning experiences within the local community, helping prepare them for life beyond the classroom.

About the Project

Following their move into a new Oakwood learning space, students from the Elements Resource Base at Marple Hall School wanted to create a dedicated outdoor area where they could continue developing practical gardening and life skills while enjoying a peaceful place to relax.

Funding from Oliver’s Dragons made the project possible, allowing the school to purchase plants, planters, outdoor storage and materials for a bespoke L-shaped gabion seating area. Students worked alongside volunteers from Marple Men in Sheds, taking part in assembling and filling the gabions while developing practical skills, teamwork and confidence.

The completed seating area has become a welcoming outdoor space where students can garden, learn and spend time together, supporting both wellbeing and outdoor education.

Comment From Marple Hall School

I’m pleased to share that our Element’s Students have demonstrated Spark, Determination, Respect and Readiness throughout this year’s Garden Get Away project.

As we moved into our new Oakwood ‘home’ we quickly realised we needed a new outdoor space; somewhere to continue to develop our life skills in creating and maintaining a garden.

This has brought both joy and pride to our growing ‘family’ of students and staff, to see their problem-solving strengths and confident communication demonstrated with real purpose.

None of this would have been possible without the Grant we received from Oliver’s Dragons which has funded our purchases ranging from plants, planters, outdoor storage, and the rather gorgeous gabion bench.

A particularly talented student has benefitted from a focused, practical task in collaboration with Marple Men in Sheds. Personally, it’s been heart warming to see the relationships that have developed with John and Collin, who generously gave their time and commitment to ensure our vision was completed in time for the summer break.

I will be forever grateful to all involved, a reminder that accessing the outdoors in connection with community makes a lasting impact.

Emma Howarth, Teacher at Marple Hall School’s Elements Resource Base

Comment From Wire Fence

It’s always rewarding to see our products become part of projects that have such a positive impact on local communities. Elements School has created far more than a garden; they’ve built a space where students can develop practical skills, gain confidence, and enjoy spending time outdoors together.

We’re delighted to have supported the project with discounted gabion products and hope the new garden continues to benefit students and staff for many years to come.

Orsi, Content Creator at Wirefence.co.uk

Project Images

Installing the timber bench tops with support from Marple Men in Sheds volunteers.

Students and volunteers preparing the timber bench tops before assembly.

Students working alongside Marple Men in Sheds volunteers to assemble the gabion bench.

Get Help With Your Community Project

Wire Fence is a UK supplier of fencing and landscaping materials. We support community-led projects through donations and product discounts. See our previous projects.

Media Enquiries

We regularly contribute to community initiatives and have experience participating in press features. You can explore our previous contributions here.

For press coverage or collaboration enquiries, please contact us via email, phone, live chat, or social media:

Email | Phone | Facebook |Twitter | Instagram.