Housebuilder helps Derbyshire school finish outdoor classroom project

Bellway’s East Midlands and South Midlands divisions, which are both involved in the development of new homes at Snelsmoor Village in Chellaston, each donated £500 to Weston on Trent CofE Primary School.

The money will fund the completion of the school’s outdoor learning area, which comprises an area of artificial turf under a sun canopy on the school field.

School headteacher Sarah Burns said: “We reached out to Bellway because we discovered they were building homes nearby and learnt about their work in supporting local communities.

“We’re really grateful to Bellway for supporting our outdoor learning space. We started the project with the aim of supporting and enhancing the mental health of our children over a year ago. We know that being outside is massively beneficial for children and we wanted to create a peaceful outdoor space where children can learn.

“We had secured some funding but fell victim to cost rises since the Covid pandemic. All our costs doubled, and we needed more money to finish the work.

“Bellway’s generous donation means that we can finally finish the project and put tables and chairs under the canopy to create the outdoor classroom. Given the huge increase in anxiety among children following the lockdowns during the pandemic, we know that this will significantly benefit their wellbeing and in turn their ability to learn.”

The school is four miles from Snelsmoor Village in Chellaston, where there are plans to build a new neighbourhood of 800 new homes.

Bellway East Midlands is currently building 167 new homes at its Holbrook Park development and 78 homes at The Meadows, while Bellway South Midlands plans to build new homes on another part of the wider development.

Steve Smith, Sales Director for Bellway East Midlands, said: “As well as delivering much-needed new homes in Chellaston, we’re committed to supporting worthwhile causes in the area. We hope our donation will enable the school to buy the additional items they need to complete the outdoor classroom project.”

Angela Nurse, Sales Director for Bellway South Midlands, said: “We’re pleased to be supporting our colleagues at Bellway East Midlands and contributing an additional donation towards Weston on Trent CofE Primary School. We hope the children enjoy using the new outdoor classroom and the school finds it beneficial for both their learning and wellbeing.”

More information about the homes Bellway East Midlands is building at Holbrook Park and The Meadows is available at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/east-midlands.

For more information about Bellway South Midlands, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/south-midlands.