A PRIMARY school in Hampshire has been given a boost of more than £500 from a housebuilder.

Redrow Southern Counties has donated £520 to Awbridge Primary School’s Forest School so it can buy new supplies for the school year including a play tipi, tools, bug viewers and books.

The forest school was set up just over two years ago in an effort to promote children getting involved in more outdoor activities and help them to develop a lifelong relationship with the natural world.

The children who attend Forest School are between four and nine years old and the resources which were bought to start the programme have been in need of replacing and extending after wear and tear.

The donation comes following Redrow’s nationwide campaign encouraging people across the country to get outdoors and play.

Awbridge Primary School Awbridge Primary School (Image: Redrow)

Melanie Sherrington, Forest School Teacher at Awbridge Primary, said: “Spending time outdoors is a vital part of childhood. We set up this forest school after the pandemic as many children lost their connection with the outdoors and we wanted to ensure kids continued to learn about nature. Our children really benefit from spending time outside, connecting with nature and learning how to care for our environment.

“On behalf of everyone at the Awbridge Forest School, I would like to thank Redrow for their generous donation. The new equipment will help us to ensure our kids continue to learn about and explore the outdoors.”

The donation is part of Redrow Southern Counties’ Community Fund which launched this year.  The fund provides organisations, schools and groups with donations.

Mark Vanson, sales director at Redrow Southern Counties, said: “Play is an essential part of being a child which benefits their mental and physical health. The ability to play is a key priority for us at Redrow which is why we have designated open spaces for play and recreation areas across our developments.

“As part of this, we are thrilled we can support Awbridge Primary’s Forest School which not only helps children spend more time outdoors but also teaches them about nature and provides them with important safety and social skills.”

Redrow’s Southern Counties division, headquartered in Basingstoke, has a range of energy-efficient homes available across their developments in Hampshire, Berkshire, West Sussex and Dorset.