Volunteers are needed to clear school play area

It is all in a good cause - to create a clear site in the centre of the school to make way for a new nursery pupils’ enclosed play area.

Recently a parent at the school applied successfully for a grant to help fund enhancement work at the primary school and to keep costs down staff are hoping parents will join them to help clear the old pond, plants and garden furniture to make way for the new play area.

To that and, if any parents or grandparents and carers are free either this Saturday or next, they are encouraged to contact the school.

“One of our P1 parents, Adele, secured us £10,000 from the Awards For All, for our nursery provision at the school. This year the nursery is doing up the play site and the money to help fund that has come from the plastic bag levy,” said Mr Scholes.

“We would love to hear from people willing to help with clearing out stuff. We had a pond in the nursery area, but the pond has been taken out and there was gravel and paving stones and that is all being removed,” he said, continuing: “We have to clear the area back to a depth of 30cm and we have plans to plant a willow hut, apple trees and build planter boxes so that the children can plant vegetables and do some gardening.”

“We have the plans drawn up and the work will be done through Groundforce, who helped us with the plans. We have £5,000 saved for the project and what we need now is for parents to come in and help us to clear the sit over two Saturdays, this weekend, January 18 and next weekend, January 25. A letter has been sent out to parents, and we have had a response to it, but we would like to hear from more people,” Mr Scholes said.

If you are a parent, grandparent or a friend to the School and can , then the number to call is 028 7134 3896.

A call for volunteers was launched during the week on Facebook through the Newbuildings Centre community notes, which highlighted that a very small amount of funding had been secured and volunteers were to clear the site and dig it down 30cm as well as make benches and raised beds for the children’s vegetable and gardening.

The £5,000 will be used for planting, wet pour surfacing, sheltering and a water play area.

The nursery garden project is being done in partnership with Newbuildings Community Centre and must be finished by March 31.