Back in September, I stowed away some of the pallets that the new equipment had arrived in during the summer holidays, knowing full well that they'd come in handy in more ways than one.

But it wasn't until Mrs Bourne commissioned a bug hotel for her garden that we really got our minds focused on a design that would make use of recycled timber, bamboo, plant stems and birch branches. With vital garden pollinators on the decline, there's no better way to boost the chances of the solitary bees who'll love their upmarket new habitat.

A succession of Year 3 and 4 Forest Schoolers have made their contribution over the past few months, sawing a bamboo stem here, drilling a birch disc there. It's been a genuine team effort, and we hope you'll agree that at only £6 each, they're a bargain. Once Mrs Bourne takes hers home, there will only be six left for sale at the FOPS Summer Celebration on 8 July. Every penny will go back into Forest School funds, helping offset the costs of the new pewter smelting kit we bought this term.