NEWS

Junior School playground upgrade

It is fabulous to see that our fantastic climbing frame has finally made it to us for the start of the new term in September 2022. Way back in 2019 at a PTA meeting it was decided that The College and the Melrose PTA would work together and combine their funds to install some new play equipment in the Junior playground. Little did they know back then that a worldwide virus was about to hit and make what we thought was going to be a simple journey, a very complicated one.

Melrose School Council were nominated to take charge of the project and did so with their usual gusto. In their School Council meetings, they looked at all the different options of playground equipment and created a brilliant PowerPoint which they shared with the whole school in an assembly. Next came the voting. They asked class teachers to look again at the options with their girls, and then for each girl from Lower Prep to Form III to vote on which piece of equipment they thought would be a brilliant fit for our current playground.The BeddingtonPlay Unit won by a landslide and so the project journey continued.

Early 2020 threw a real spanner in the works as COVID-19 swept the planet causing a worldwide pandemic. As we were all thrown into lockdown ourSchool Council project had hit its first major bump in the road.Life became a whirlwind of lockdowns, social distancing, bubbles and a whole host of other restrictions, and our wonderful project simmered away on the backburner until May 2021. Little did we know at this stage how much of an impact the pandemic would have on our lovely little playground project.

School Council launched back into action with another whole-school assembly to refresh everyone’s memories and build enthusiasm for the ongoing playground project. The Beddington Play Unit was still as popular as it was the first-time round. So, the project continued with renewed vigour.

January 2022 brought more set-backs. With worldwide shortages of materials, and in particular the timber for the round wooden posts, a huge increase in costs and lots of the workforce unable to work; the manufacturers advised that it was now going to be a very long wait. School Council’s faith in the project never faltered and they carried on regardless waiting patiently for the beautiful play unit to be made and finally delivered in March 2022.

We were thrilled to receive our fantastic climbing frame and all departments worked together fabulously for it to be ready for the girls to play on for their September return. The States of Guernsey Works Department had to battle with an unexpected concrete block hidden beneath the amphitheatre, which had enjoyed a long existence but was ready to be retired, on the planned site for the climbing frame. The Ladies’ College Premises Team worked hard alongside States Works and Guernsey gardens to get the climbing frame concreted in place securely and the safety service installed.

Our now former School Council members, who have moved on to Senior School, are justifiably proud of their achievements in persevering with this challenging project and were invited back to the official opening ceremony and to have a little play.Thanks to all who were involved in the complicated process. I am sure that the girls will thoroughly enjoy their new equipment for many years to come.