Lee-on-the-Solent company installs new active playground trail for returning children at Elson Infant School in Gosport

The creation of the playground activities, which normally costs £795, has been provided for free thanks to a social media competition by Lee-on-the-Solent based business Fun & Active Playgrounds.

Pupils can now enjoy taking part in the 60m trail which features interactive stations where children can jump, hop, skip and sprint.

After being informed they’d been randomly selected as winners, head of school Hayley Page said: ‘We’re absolutely thrilled to have been selected. Thank you to all our wonderful parents and teachers for nominating us.’

The company installed the trail last week ready for the return of pupils on March 8.

Executive headteacher Sarah Duffy said: ‘On behalf of the staff and children at Elson Infant School, we would like to say a huge thank you to Fun & Active Playgrounds for our fabulous play-trail.

‘Their very generous prize has brought smiles to the faces of all the children today and has enhanced their return with a 'get fit and have fun' aspect as well as supporting team building and the reconnecting of friendships.

‘This is so important for children's wellbeing at this current time and we are very grateful for their generosity.’

With their usual business quiet and schools closed during lockdown the company wanted to ‘give something back’ to the local community. Owner David Bailey was determined to ensure the trail was installed ready for the return of pupils.

He said: ‘I have a five-year-old daughter and what she was most looking forward to about returning to school was playing outside with her friends. Children have been stuck inside during lockdown and with the arrival of spring and better weather, hopefully this will help provide something fun for them to do outside while at the same time keeping active and fit.’

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Following the success of the first competition the company has now decided to run a second competition to install a free active trail playground.

David added: ‘With over 1,000 entries we were so overwhelmed by the response that we’ve decided to do it again.’

Teachers and parents can nominate a school of their choice via the company’s Facebook page. Nominations must be submitted by March 14 with the winner then selected at random.

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