A village school will be able to restock its library, thanks to a grant of £510 from a community scheme that lets Tamworth Co-op shoppers donate their dividends to good causes.
The money, raised by customers at the Co-op convenience store in Rosliston, will enable Coton-in-the-Elms Primary School to buy new reading books for its 120 pupils aged four to 11.
Neil Wakelin, manager of the Tamworth Co-op’s Rosliston convenience store, is pictured handing over the cheque to Lee Smith, head teacher of Coton-in-the-Elms Primary School, with nine-year-old pupils (left to right) Owen Ford, Rosie Robinson and Grace Simpkin.
Head teacher Lee Smith said the award from the Tamworth Co-operative Society’s Community Dividend Fund had come as a ‘lovely surprise.’
He added: “We are a small school and books are very expensive these days, so this is going to be a big help. Our thanks go to the Tamworth Co-operative Society and the shoppers who have given us this opportunity. The children are really going to benefit from this.”
The school actively promotes a love of reading. Pupils use the library once a week, and some even choose to look at books during their lunch hour. Favourite authors and titles include Roald Dahl and Mr Stink, the story of a homeless man befriended by a young girl.
Neil Wakelin, manager of the Rosliston store, who arrived with a giant cheque under his arm to hand over to the school, said: “This is a fantastic scheme because it gives them the chance to support their area. It’s nice to see a local community school benefit from our customers’ generosity.”
This year nearly £10,000 is being distributed from the fund to schools, churches and other organisations in the Tamworth Co-op’s trading area, which covers Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire.