A DAY of action is taking place to build a new garden for an expanding school.

Home Farm Primary School in Lexden is one of three schools in the town which will undergo major expansion projects to make room for an extra 630 places.

It will take an extra 30 place reception class from September 2018. The total increase over seven years will be 210 pupils at each school.

The expansions are proposed by Essex County Council to try to cope with the ever increasing demand on school places.

As part of the school's expansion, they will lose an award-winning garden.

But community interest company Together We Grow is determined to help. They work with schools and training providers to growing vegetables.

Wayne Setford, from Together We Grow, said: "We have been working with Home Farm School for five years and have built a rather wonderful edible garden that is used for teaching reception and Year 1, garden clubs, and supplies produce to the school's kitchen.

"In that time the school has been awarded numerous 'Green' awards including Ashden Environmental countrywide winner, Green Flag Award, RHS Gardening Awards, Colchester in Bloom Awards.

"Sadly as part of the school expansion the garden will be lost.

"We are getting together for a full on community day. My volunteers from Together We Grow and students I teach from Essex Rural Skills Project at Wormingford are coming together for a day of action, to build a new garden.

"We will have one day to do it before the garden is handed over to the school for the start of spring."

They will be building a Polytunnel and greenhouse, removing and rebuilding raised beds, moving tonnes of enriched top soil with the help of onsite contractors Morgan Sindall Group.

They will also be dividing shrubs, fruit canes, herb plants, trees and hopefully putting in new water saving measures.

The action day will take place on March 2.