Gnomes have started to spring up all over Leighton-Linslade - and here's why!

Cedars Upper School has been asking the community to display a picture of a gnome in a prominent window, be it a drawing, coloured-in template or a print-out of a fun diminutive character. The idea is to bring a smile to the faces of young children, in particular, but also adults during their permitted daily exercise.

This year Cedars has started a staff group specifically looking at how the school can support the community during this difficult time. They have started producing care packages for people in care homes, who are isolated or shielding through the COVID crisis and wanted to do more to help all parts of the community.

Naomi de Voogt, Head of the Social Sciences department, said: "One day, when I was trying to persuade my three children to go for a walk, with little success, it made me think about whether we could do something that would motivate young children in particular, to get out of the house for some fresh air and their daily exercise. I wondered whether there was something fun we could do whilst walking around Leighton Buzzard.

"That’s when I had the idea that we could get everyone to put something in their windows for children to hunt for, and create themselves. This would then give them something to do that’s engaging and fun. After speaking to our student voice lead, we came up with the theme of gnomes.

"The more I looked at examples to send out, and templates to colour in, the more focused I became on the hunt for gnomes. As characters they are so positive and amusing, and were making me smile during every search and every conversation."

She added: "We are asking our senior students to judge some special prizes as the weeks go on, ranging from best drawing, to the most imaginative, biggest, best effort and finding the special specific gnomes.

"We are hoping that this will give as much pleasure to the families of Leighton Buzzard as it has been for us looking for ideas. They are starting to fill up streets - Golden Riddy and Churchill Road are looking good! We are excited to see the whole community getting involved, maybe these gnomes of positivity will cover the whole country!"