St Patrick's NS, Ardcath, announced as the Meath Winner of Lidl’s inaugural 2025 Green Fund worth €3,000

St Patrick's NS, Ardcath, has been announced as the Meath Winner of Lidl’s inaugural 2025 Green Fund. The school has been awarded a €3,000 grant to support its Biodiversity Garden for Therapeutic Autism Support, a specialised project designed to provide a natural, restorative environment for students.

Launched last February in partnership with Business in the Community Ireland, the Lidl Green Fund was established to support community-led projects that prioritise environmental sustainability and healthy living.

St Patrick’s National School stood out for its innovative approach to inclusive education, creating a space where ecological restoration directly supports the emotional and social development of its pupils.

The €3,000 investment will facilitate the creation of a biodiversity garden specifically tailored to provide therapeutic benefits for children in the school’s two autism classes. Recognising that contact with nature and the act of gardening can significantly improve health and well-being, the project will transform the school grounds into a sensory-rich environment.

This space is designed to encourage nature contact and foster synergistic interpersonal exchanges among pupils, helping to develop vital social skills in a calm, outdoor setting.

St Patrick's NS principal Fiona Daly said: "We are absolutely delighted to be named the Meath winner of the Lidl Green Fund.

This grant allows us to create a very special place for the children in our autism classes, where they can find peace and connection through nature.

We know how powerful a therapeutic garden can be for improving social skills and overall well-being, and this funding makes that possible for our students.

We are incredibly grateful to Lidl Ireland for supporting a project that brings such meaningful benefits to our school community."