PLAYTIME has been given a boost in Rastrick thanks to a group of kind-hearted joiners.
Pupils at Highbury Special School have been enjoying new toys after staff from a Rastrick firm custom-built new play equipment for free.
Around 50 children with learning or mobility issues attend the primary school.
A joinery team from shopfitting company GF Group put on their thinking caps to design a wheelchair-friendly sand and water table and specially adapted the home corner to fit the pupils’ needs.
Nursery class teacher Nicky Moorman said finding suitable play equipment could be challenging.
She said: “These are things that we couldn’t have bought. “They have been in and seen what the children’s needs are and have then gone out of their way to design something completely individual for them.
“It is incredibly generous and such a lovely thing to do for us.”
After donating £1,000 for play equipment last year from a charity bonfire – the workers turned their thoughts to the classroom.
Ms Moorman said: “The children like to play with the sand and water tables.
“But in my class, five out of 12 children are in wheelchairs and couldn’t get in to play.
“So while their friends were playing at the tables, they had to have a tray with sand and water in.
“Now they can all have fun together.”
The group have also made special wooden trolleys to allow children to help themselves to the toys and created bird box kits which they made with pupils in school.
GF Group chief executive and owner Bill Morris said: “This is all part of working in the community. I have always wanted to give something back and I like being able to help people less privileged than myself.
“We hope to be able to do more in other parts of the community later.”
