Local businesses volunteer to help school dismantle play equipment
Two local building companies and a team of parents gave up their days to remove condemned play equipment from St Mary’s Church of England Primary School in Woodbridge. - Credit: Ella Wilkinson
Suffolk businesses have clubbed together to help a school save thousands of pounds by removing its old climbing frame.
St Mary's Church of England School in Woodbridge has been fundraising to help replace ageing play equipment in its playground.
The old pirate ship used by pupils at the school was condemned last year and will have to be replaced at a cost of several thousand pounds.
Work has been underway to help fundraise for this work but the school has now been spared the thousands of pounds it would have cost to remove the old equipment by local companies who have sent in volunteers to help.
Woodbridge building company Houchells ran and organised the volunteers working on site and also took away the old wood from the site.
Ten builders from Chapel Properties also gave up their day off to help with the deconstruction work.
Food for the volunteers was also provided by local businesses with cake from Wild Strawberry Cafe and pizza from Dominos in Kesgrave.
Most Read
- 1 WATCH: 'Unplayable' delivery from Suffolk bowler goes viral
- 2 New landlord hopes to make Suffolk pub 'centre' of village community
- 3 Seven players who could leave Ipswich Town this summer
- 4 A14 westbound reopens after crash caused 7 miles of delays
- 5 Is this tearoom near Ipswich one of Suffolk’s best-kept secrets?
- 6 Conveyor belt which carried pig carcases across Suffolk A-road is demolished
- 7 Mercedes and Vauxhall flip over after crash in busy Ipswich road
- 8 Boy, 10, asked to get in car by two men near Sudbury
- 9 Boss McKenna on Town's 'challenging and important' pre-season schedule
- 10 Queen's Platinum Jubilee Flypast to pass over Suffolk
Twenty five parents from the school also turned up to help with the work, moving the old play equipment to a skip.
Alex Gwynne, deputy headteacher at the school, said it was a real group effort to get the work done.
"It's been a big community project here," said Mrs Gwynne.
"Ruth and Mark from Chapel Properties have kindly had lots of volunteers dismantling our play equipment and trim trail.
"We've had some amazing parents volunteer to help carry all the play equipment onto the skips.
"They've been working under Houchell's building insurance to do that.
"It's been a big community project together which has been good."
Pupils at the school have now also decided what they would like to replace the pirate ship on the school's playground.
"They voted to have a big castle or tower to fill the whole space," said Mrs Gwynne.
"We are hoping to have the work done in the summer term.
"Now it is all clear we can look forward to what is coming next."
The school is now looking to find someone who might take outdoor carpet which was under the equipment. Anyone who is interested should contact them directly.
Those wishing to donate to the school's crowdfunding campaign can do so online.
