The Duke of Westminster returned to Eccleston Primary School to celebrate its 150th anniversary

The Duke of Westminster returned to his former school last week to help mark its 150th anniversary and officially open a new sensory garden.

The school, which sits on the Eaton Estate, welcomed the Duke back for a day of celebration with pupils and families to unveil the new ‘Long Sensory Garden,’ a project with ties to the Grosvenor family’s longstanding connection to the school.

The Easton Estate previously donated land for the school’s extension, with a request from the Duke’s mother, Natalia Duchess of Westminster, that part of it be reserved for outdoor green space where children could connect with nature.

During his visit, the Duke was shown around the garden by the Long family, who were instrumental in bringing the project to life. Paul Murphy, a retired firefighter and grandfather of pupil William Long, has been at the heart of the development for the past two years. His passion for gardening, which he shares with grandson William in his free time, has helped shape the design of the garden.

Much of the space has been created from recycled and upcycled materials, with features including a potting bench made from pallets, raised beds, sensory planting, a pond, and wooden plaques designed to inspire future generations of pupils.

Opening the garden, the Duke of Westminster said:

“Eccleston holds a special place in my heart. It’s wonderful to be back at my first school. I know from experience that projects like this take many hands to create and, in this case, a whole family as well as many others that have contributed. Through my work with the Westminster Foundation, I know how important it is for young people to connect with nature. The sensory garden will provide an enormous benefit to everyone here at the school. I hope you all enjoy using it, learning from it and getting your hands dirty. Spend as much time as possible out here as you can.”

Paul Murphy, the driving force behind the project said:

“I have always had a keen interest in landscaping so I said I could spare a few hours and do a bit of weeding here and there. Well, it went from that to constructing a nature pond, raised borders of railway sleepers full of vibrant plants, a central covered seating area for the children to develop there sketches of nature and “Compost Corner" to do their spring potting preparations. My grandsons William 7 and Henry nearly 4, have been helping me alongside my daughter Laura and her husband Sam, my wife Paula and son Graham – all of us working tirelessly over the last few months to complete the project. I like to think the Long Sensory Garden - like the children in the school - will grow and mature in time.”

After the opening, the Duke toured classrooms with headteacher Kathryn Rees-Wright, chatting with children and seeing how the school has developed since he was there. Pupils also surprised him with giant cards for his baby daughter, Cosima, who was born earlier this summer.

Headteacher Kathryn Rees-Wright described the day as a “truly special moment” for the school:

“The Long Sensory Garden is a space designed to nurture wellbeing, connection, and sensory exploration. Having The Duke of Westminster here to officially open it meant the world to our community.”

Nayland Southorn, Chair of Governors, added:

“From here on in, the Long Sensory Garden will now enable pupils to grow and tend plants, to care for wildlife, to learn new skills, to experiment, to touch, to sense, to test things out ... inspiring, challenging and exciting them as they explore their outdoor environment.”