LITTLE gardeners lent their expertise to a community winter garden as part of a drive to encourage members to sign up to support a south Cumbrian park.

Pupils from Sir John Barrow School in Ulverston were invited to Ford Park to get their hands dirty and learn about nature by helping staff plant a vibrant winter garden.

The visit was part of the park's Membership Week initiative, aimed at boosting the park's supporters by showcasing its valuable role in the community.

Eight pupils from Year 3 and Year 4 were eager to get stuck in to the flower beds; planting flowers and shrubs which in a few short months will burst into colourful life.

Sarah Dearden, a teacher at Sir John Barrow said: "Ali Alger contacted us to see if we would be interested. We like supporting Ford Park in the community, it's a great opportunity for the kids to do this sort of thing."

Armed with trowels, forks and plenty of mulch, the children set about planting winter box, snowdrops and bright pink and purple cyclamen.

Plants were chosen not just for their attractive colours, but also for their great scent and how wildlife-friendly they are.

Mrs Dearden said: "For me it's about being part of the community and encouraging kids to come into their community. It would be nice to come back and see how what they planted has grown."

Chief executive of the Ford Park Community Group, Ali Alger, was happy to see how much the children enjoyed planting and learning about nature during their time in the garden.

She said: "It's lovely to have children in the park getting stuck in, and to be so excited about getting stuck in. Kids don't get the chance to get their hands dirty these days. Hopefully they'll want to see how their plants are coming along in a few weeks."

The winter garden will form part of a renovated trail in the park which is wheelchair friendly, funded by a £10,000 grant from the Tesco Bags of Fun initiative.

The community group are hopeful that by encouraging people to feel like the park is their own, they will want to sign up to become park members, ensuring its continued presence in the town.

The park estimated if 1,000 people paid £2 a month to be a member, one quarter of its running costs for the year would be met.

To find out more about Ford Park Membership Week, connect with the park on Facebook , Twitter or their website .

Find out more about Ford Park here:

Membership Week is ready to show the best of the park to the residents of Ulverston

A dress enthusiast brought part of her wonderful collection to showcase at Ford Parl