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The David Verdon Knight Pond at Bell House
Bell House on College Road was once part of Dulwich College, previously as the Master’s residence, then as a boarding house for many years. The building is now home to an educational charity, named after the building in which it is based. Bell House offers events, programmes and volunteering opportunities for the local community ranging from dyslexia support, to quilting and gardening (and lots in between). Amongst many other things in 2020, volunteers were busy fundraising for a new wildlife pond which will benefit the whole Bell House community, from microscopic minibeasts to its visitors and volunteers. The pond, designed by lead gardening volunteer Sarah Hammond, will be an important new feature of the garden, and will become a fantastic resource to be used as part of the school’s enrichment programme. The team have decided to name the pond after David Verdon Knight, a former Housemaster at Bell House. David (OA 33-39, School Captain, Staff 42-81) and his wife Patricia, lived in the house for 12 years with their children, Roger (57-66) and Cheryl. It is hoped that the new pond will prove a fitting memorial to such a popular housemaster. The pond itself will be built within the historic kitchen garden and will be one of the first features visitors see as they enter the garden. Sarah has designed the pond with wildlife in mind and in time, the pond will become a hub for biodiversity. Around 400 different species of plants can live around ponds, as well as amphibians, invertebrates, fish and birds. With increasing pollution and the destruction of natural habitats, many pond creatures have become endangered, including the natterjack toad, newts and some species of dragonfly. Furthermore, around 70% of ponds have been lost from the UK countryside in the past century. Volunteers at Bell House are confident that the new pond will make a vital contribution to the local ecosystem and are so excited to get to work in bringing the designs to life. Throughout the National Curriculum, the environment, habitats and ecosystems are recurrent and crucial learning points. The team hopes to welcome many school visitors to the pond to give their pupils a chance to see all of this in real life. During lockdown, many children have been confined to their homes, without easy access to nature and green spaces. It is hoped that the pond will give them a chance to enjoy nature, to learn about our responsibility to care for our natural surroundings and to become more environmentally aware.
Sarah Hammond's sketch of the new pond
We recommend visiting the Bell House website bellhouse.co.uk to read more about the charity and the history of the building. Furthermore, if you would like to make a donation towards the pond or another of the charity’s initiatives you can do so via their website.
Amy Keen Bell House Volunteer
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