QEHS summer event is a sunny success

The group was then invited to explore the school's Victorian Walled Garden, formerly the kitchen garden of the Tynedale Hydropathic Hotel, where horticulture tutor Emma Thompson explained how the garden had been rescued from dereliction and completely renovated over the past 12 years.

The garden now provides a training venue for horticulture courses and supplies the QEHS Charter restaurant with organic produce.

Three students, Josh Budden, Brett Blackburn and Andy Richardson, talked about the horticulture courses and their work in the garden.

The guests then enjoyed a two-course lunch in the Charter restaurant, which was prepared and served by Year 11 hotel services students.

In the afternoon, Anne Codd, floral art tutor for community and leisure, demonstrated several summer floral arrangements, which were raffled at the end of the day.

Ruth King, who took part in the event, said: "The whole day was a delight. We had a lovely welcome with tea and coffee. The walk around the garden was totally fascinating, lunch was perfect and the final flower demonstration rounded off the day very satisfactorily.

"The weather was gorgeous too."

There will be another opportunity to attend a similar event in the autumn term with a 'Cracking Christmas Cakes' day based at the school.

The autumn 2009 community and leisure programme will be available from July 6 and copies can be obtained from the Hexham and Corbridge libraries.