School’s Hiltingbury Lakes sculpture responds to climate change
Students and teachers from Chandler’s Ford Infant school have designed and created a sculpture in response to the current climate emergency. It will be displayed at Hiltingbury Lakes, as part of a project to transform the local beauty spot.
The sculpture has been made from dry willow which has been manipulated and shaped to represent seed heads. The design was inspired by American sculptor Ruth Asawa who is known for creating naturalistic forms inspired by nature, she believed in the importance of hands-on experiences for children and believed in “learning by doing”.
The art co-ordinator at the local infant school, Emma Clode, was previously involved in a project with Hampshire County Council called the Climate Change Unit Project. As part of the project the school created a tree sculpture that was displayed outside Winchester Cathedral and then at Hillier Gardens.
Hiltingbury Lakes has recently undergone a major transformation project which has seen the restoration of historical woodland, improvement to the pathways and work to improve the water flows around the lake and ponds.
Councillor James Duguid, Chair of the Chandler's Ford and Hiltingbury Local Area Committee said: “Hiltingbury Lakes is looking fantastic following the transformation project and having this beautiful sculpture on display will encourage more children and families from the local area to come and visit. We hope everyone enjoys the improvements that we’ve made to the area.”