School raises £40,000 for new playground

9:46pm Thursday 13th March 2008

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A PRIMARY school has raised thousands of pounds to build a new playground, which its pupils have helped to design.

Staff, pupils and friends of Wheatley Lane Primary School in Fence collected £41,651 over eighteen months to create the new facility.

Pupils were consulted over the design for the playground, which is currently unusable if it rains as it becomes badly waterlogged.

Work will get underway on the playground, which will feature an outside classroom, an activity area and a willow labrynth created by a local artist, next month.

Parents, local businesses and the Wheatley Lane Methodist Church were also involved in supporting the fund raising activities.

These included raffles, a curry night, a sponsored singathon and a successful Black and White ball held at the Fence Gate Inn in November.

Children also designed and sold their own Christmas cards in aid of the playground, which will be dedicated to former school governor Paul Brassington, who died in December.

Friends, colleagues and businesses donated £3,500 to a memorial fund for Mr Brassington, a school governor for 19 years who helped kickstart the fundraising.

Additional funding was also secured through the Awards for All' scheme.

Amanda Kroukamp, Wheatley Lane's headmistress, said: "Everyone at the school is overjoyed at the support received from the local community.

"Staff, parents, pupils and the playground committee have worked so hard to raise this tremendous amount of money.

"We had £2,000 donated by Kevin Berkins of the Fence Gate and £1,000 donated by Christian of Christian Smith hairdressing on the night of the ball and sponsorships from many other local businesses for a number of the events.

"The children will have benefited from being involved in every aspect of the design and development.

"We are excited about it because it will double our playing area and provide different types of activities for the children.