Pupils at a South Derbyshire school are to get an adventure polytunnel in their playground, thanks to a near £1,000 cash injection from their local Tamworth Co-op convenience store. Liz Greenwood, head teacher at Rosliston C E Primary School, says she was extremely surprised when she discovered just how much the school would be receiving from the Tamworth Co-op’s Community Dividend Fund.
Having a ‘grand’ time…Vicky Freeman, manager of the Tamworth Co-op convenience store in Rosliston, presents head teacher Liz Greenwood with a cheque for nearly £1,000 in front of delighted pupils.
“To get £973 is fantastic,” she said. “Our thanks go to the Tamworth Co-op and all the people who supported the scheme at the Rosliston store. This really is a brilliant scheme which supports local communities. The money will enable us to purchase things for the school that would otherwise be impossible for us to afford.”
The impressive play tunnel will measure 30 feet by 12 feet and will become a permanent fixture in the playground. It will be big enough for teachers to give outdoor lessons in and will be particularly beneficial to green-fingered pupils. The school’s gardening club is extremely popular and the tunnel will allow pupils to grow plants and vegetables whatever the weather.
Vicky Freeman, manager of the Tamworth Co-op convenience store in Rosliston, presented the cheque to the school.
“I’ve seen a lot of familiar faces here because a lot of the pupils come into our store,” she said.
“It’s a lovely small school and the Tamworth Co-op is delighted to be able to support it. A lot of people in the village donated their dividends to the school – it has proved a very popular cause.”
The Community Dividend Fund is now in its fourth year and has handed out more than £40,000 to organisations in Staffordshire and South Derbyshire. Every year Tamworth Co-op stores support different causes.