A NEW addition to the sculpture garden at a village school has been unveiled.

Thanks to a donation by the Harpenden Evening Decorative and Fine Arts Society (HEDFAS), a group of students from St Luke’s School, Redbourn, have been able to work with professional artist Philip Melling.

The students, all of whom have moderate learning difficulties and associated complex needs, worked with Philip to create a new piece for their sculpture garden as part of a curriculum day.

They learned how to use ‘grown-up’ tools and equipment to weld the pieces together and worked as a team to produce the various elements of the work.

The new sculpture joins another piece in the garden, made entirely of rolled up newspaper, which was produced by all of the students with artist Darcy Turner, who also visited St Luke’s on the same day.

The new Miro-inspired abstract work can be seen surrounded by Anthony Gormley-style clay figures, which it is hoped, in time, will fill the space beneath it.

Art teacher Irene Leach commented: “Our students were very excited about the project and were thrilled to see the finished piece once it had been painted and placed into our garden. Opportunities like this are enriching and foster a real sense of community spirit.

“We are extremely grateful for all the support we have had from HEDFAS over the years. Our students have benefited greatly from the various creative experiences that the funding has enabled us to provide for them.”