Fundraising buys school new shelter

PUPILS at Bowerhill Primary School now have space to work and play outside after spending the last of three years worth of fundraising on a brand new canopy in the playground.

The canopy and new benches, installed last month, will give the children shade in the playground and a place to spend their breaks or work outside as the weather warms up.

The canopy was paid for using some of the £30,000 raised by the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) over the last three years. A wooden play trail and new books for all the classes were also bought with the money.

Chair of the PTA, Tina Kimmitt said, “The new canopy has been put up to create shade in the playground where there wasn’t any before.

“It’s something the whole school will be able to use, whether it’s at break times, for working outside, or at school fetes and other events.

“We raised the money at a number of school events over the past three years. I think it’s important for the children to raise money for something they can use themselves, that perhaps the school budget can’t stretch to. They all seem very happy with the new equipment!”

Chair Tina and another member of the PTA, Debbie Webber, will leave the school soon and leave behind the new equipment for pupils to use in years to come.

Debbie said, “The children love the play trail, which was built a couple of years ago, and play on it all the time. The old climbing frame wasn’t suitable for some of the younger children.

“We spent about £500 per class on new books, too, to replace the old ones which had been around for years.

“Pupils on the school council had a say on what we bought with the money and the children were involved with the fundraising, because at the end of the day it’s all for them.”