The Mayor of Leamington Spa is set to visit a school next week to celebrate the work of Age UK volunteers, who maintain the site and the school ECO club end of term event.

Cllr Sarah Boad is set to attend Paintings Plantation and Nature Reserve at Campion School on Sydenham Drive in the town on 14 July.

Paintings Plantation is named after the actor and countryman Norman Paintings BBC Radio 4s Phil Archer of The Archers.

The first trees were planted at the Millennium by students at the school supported by The Tree Council and Norman. Subsequent tree plantings have expanded the site to nearly two acres. Normans' ashes are under some of the trees. Norman was the Patron of Age Concern Warwickshire until his death in 2009.

In 2017 volunteers from Age UK Warwickshire, (now Age UK Coventry and Warwickshire formerly Age Concern Warwickshire) proposed a scheme to regenerate and develop the plantation which had become overgrown and inaccessible. The pond was also restored with a grant.

The school were "delighted to receive support to make use of a site which offers peace and tranquillity to pupils and opportunities for learning more about the environment and understanding of nature. "

A band of retired volunteers cleared the undergrowth away and now each week meet to maintain the area so that others can use it.

In the course of a year 10 local Primary and junior schools visit the school to pond dip as part of their curriculum.

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The ECO clubs meets every two weeks after school with the Age UK volunteers to undertake various jobs including to plant and look after the vegetable plot.

Other school departments use the facilities to teach students in line with their curriculum using the outdoor classroom.

The Mayor will tour the site and meet volunteers and guests and ECO club students, as well as join in the end of term festivities of the club.