School children bank on their new playground

SCHOOL CHILDREN BANK ON THEIR NEW PLAYGROUND

15th Jul 2009

Celebrating the opening of their new playground are pupils Rignach Glasgow and James Flanningan. Joining the celebrations were Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Mike Bamber, Ulster Bank's Chief Executive Retail Markets. The playground makeover comes as part of the 6 million Supergrounds programme improving 900 primary school playgrounds over six years across the UK and Ireland.

Children of St Columbas Primary School in Draperstown celebrated today as the playground that they played a huge part in designing, planning and transforming was finally unveiled.

Joining the pupils were teachers, parents, friends and Bank staff who had all played an important role in developing the school grounds. The celebration to officially open the brand new grounds was also attended by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, who visited to see for himself the new play ship, puppet show area, seating, surface markings and wall mounted signs and games that have transformed the grounds.

The playground makeover comes as part of the 6 million Supergrounds programme improving 900 primary school playgrounds over six years across the UK and Ireland. Ulster Bank Supergrounds is managed by the national school grounds charity Learning through Landscapes with local support from environmental charity Groundwork.

Ulster Bank Supergrounds was developed to strengthen the ties between the bank and the communities in which it operates. The selected schools are nominated by Ulster Bank employees. Of the Supergrounds schools that have already been transformed, almost 80% consider that their new school grounds have had a huge impact on pupils, with a large majority seeing a surge in activity and an improvement in attitudes towards learning.

St Columbas Primary School, Draperstown became involved with the scheme through a nomination from Anita Donnelly, Manager of Ulster Bank Magherafelt branch.

Anita Donnelly said: As a parent I know what a difference a playground like this makes to the lives of the children and Im really proud that the Bank, through Ulster Bank Supergrounds, has turned St Columbas Primary schools dream into a reality.

Mrs Regan Principal at St Columbas School said: Our new playground is fantastic and it really does allow the children to learn while they play. We are so pleased to have Alison Donnelly from Ulster Bank as one of our parents, and really appreciate her help, via Ulster Bank Supergrounds, in securing this excellent facility for our children.

Picture: Celebrating the opening of their new playground are pupils Rignach Glasgow and James Flanningan. Joining the celebrations were Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Mike Bamber, Ulster Bank's Chief Executive Retail Markets. The playground makeover comes as part of the 6 million Supergrounds programme improving 900 primary school playgrounds over six years across the UK and Ireland.