Member Article

School receives cash injection for playground renovation

Cheddar First School is set to receive a £1,000 fundraising boost thanks to the efforts of one regional house builder.

The funding, from Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, was awarded to the school’s Friends, Parents and Teachers Association who will use the money to renovate the main playground, which has seen no major investment for over 15 years.

The school was chosen as one of the company’s Community Champions, an initiative that sees a pot of £24,000 being donated to local groups and charities.

Dr Kelly Davies, FPTA Playground sub-committee for Cheddar First School, said: “The new playground equipment will be used by all the children on a daily basis, all year round. The playground is also used by various community groups including Guide groups, sports clubs, as well as the village preschool.”

There are also plans in place to create a designated quiet area in the playground, which will include seating and games tables for the children. As well as this, the school plan to create a log train, climbing frame and adventure trail.

Kelly continued: “The quiet area will be used for reading, artistic and quiet games and will provide space to build friendships and encourage peer support, while the log train will be used for more imaginative activities. The climbing frame and adventure trail will increase physical activity levels and allow the development of agility, spatial awareness and self-esteem.”

Nicola Reed, sales and marketing director for Persimmon Homes Severn Valley, said: “We are pleased to donate £1,000 to Cheddar First School, which will renovate their main playground. We hope that this donation will benefit not only Cheddar First School, but the wider community too.

“The school has shown its commitment to fundraising, with a range of different events within the community. We hope that this donation will contribute to a great learning experience for the children.”

Community Champions is a year-long programme with £750,000 to be spread across the builder’s 26 regions. Groups and charities who have already worked hard to raise funds themselves can apply for match funding of up to £1,000.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lee Southen .