It's not just the children that are nurtured and growing every day at Hensingham Primary School, there are lots of sunflowers springing up in the area too.

Headteacher Faye Eldon said they were keen to get the children outside, enjoying each others company, so they started a sunflower project, giving seeds out to the community so, along with the children in each class at Hensingham, the community could try and nurture seeds too. Faye said: "We thought it would be a nice idea for spring to work with the community looking at new life and the growth of flowers.

"We thought it would be a lovely idea if we planted some sunflower seeds and gave some to our friends in the community. Hoping they will enjoy caring for them and watching them grow. "

Seeds were planted by children at the school then delivered to Whitehaven Fire Station, DJE Financial services, St Johns Church, The Gables residential home and Whitehaven Academy, who will send the school photos and information on how their sunflowers are growing, which will be added to the schools media pages and website.

Vicar Fergus Pearson from St John's Church, sent a youtube update to the children, showing the growth of new seedlings.

Early years teacher Mandy Hyland, who organised the project, said: "Promoting links with the community is vital, especially in a time when community and supporting each other has meant so much. As a school at the heart of the community, it is important for us to maintain and nurture these links and show how to promote these to the children. In our learning we discuss just how important being a kind citizen is and the part our local community plays. Opportunities like this, help us to foster these links and like the sunflowers they will grow."

Some of the children explained their part in the planting of the sunflowers:

Eli Smallman, early years said: "The sunflowers will grow bigger and bigger and they will be beautiful. The firemen will grow the biggest one because they have lots of water."

Carter Bowes year 1 said: "The sunflowers will help people in the community feel happy and cheer them up."

Oscar McKenzie in year 2 said: "We planted the seeds into a pot with soil. They need lots of sunlight and water. Don’t put them in the shade!"

Matthew Nutt: year 5 said: "Our sunflowers will grow yellow and tall with the sun and water. And they take our carbon dioxide and turn them into oxygen."

Tyler O’Pray year 5 said: "We put the soil into the cups and we put the seeds in and then we cover the seeds and then we watered them and put them in sunlight to grow."