News

School grounds get a marathon makeover thanks to green-fingered staff

Release date: 11/07/2008

The grounds of Barley Croft Primary School in Beaumont Leys, Leicester, were given a marathon all-day makeover thanks to green-fingered Harvey Ingram staff.

More than 60 employees were split into teams of eight to tackle everything from clearing, gardening, decking, digging, painting and rebuilding the school's willow tunnel and igloo.

Stefan Thomas, Barley Croft's extended and integrated services' learning manager, said: "It was a fantastic day. The morale in the school is superb. The youngsters are walking around as if they're stepping on gold dust now. I'd like to say a big thank you on behalf of the school, to everyone at Harvey Ingram who was involved in the project."

Jane Cowley, head of the Harvey Ingram's Private Client Group, helped organise the event with Leicestershire Cares.

She said: "It was a pleasure to be able to work on a project like this. Barley Croft is a lovely school and we were delighted to be able to help improve the pupils' environment in some way. I think it's fair to say we were as surprised at anyone with what the teams achieved within a matter of hours."

Katharine Lightbown, Leicestershire Cares' community development co-ordinator, said: "The work at Barley Croft Primary School was part of our Spring Action 2008 initiative, Children at Play.

"Small playgroups, community groups and schools often struggle to find the funds and manpower to make the best use of their spaces for safe and creative play for young children. But a bit of effort put in by volunteer teams during the course of just a day, like those at Harvey Ingram, can make all the difference to the quality of play for youngsters for this summer and for many more years to come."