Playtime just got much better at St Joseph’s

Photo: Picture: ANTHONY MILLER

Councillor Howard Sykes opens the new play area with pupils (from the left), Liam Hulme, Shane Keating, Maddison Smith, and Emilia Jackowski. Inset, the new play area and nature space.

Oldham Council leader Howard Sykes dropped into St Joseph’s RC Primary to open the school’s new play and wild life area.

The aim is to provide space for youngsters to play but also habitats that encourage wild life, such as insects, where the pupils can take part in mini-beast hunts .

There are water chutes, a sand area, planting, log-balancing steps, boulders, a large decking platform and areas of gravel and bark.

Among the guests at the official opening were the landscape architects Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale, and local work force NAB Contractors Ltd.

The funding has come from the school’s parent-teacher organisation, which has raised £15,000 over the past year.

Councillor Sykes, a governor at St Joseph’s School and also on the board at Groundwork, said: “The new play garden is fantastic.

“The project is an excellent example of a successful Oldham-based partnership between the PTA, pupils, teachers and staff at the school and the expertise of both Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale and contractor NAB.