KIND-HEARTED staff at electric utility company SSE have spent their time putting up a new fence at Okehampton Primary — saving the school thousands of pounds.

The school had been keen to put a small fence around a grassy play area which in the winter months gets particularly muddy. When they obtained a a quote to find out how much it would cost, they found them too expensive.

They turned to SSE's Community at Heart scheme, a community volunteering project that allows each of SSE's 22,000 employees to spend one or two days each year volunteering to support local projects.

The North Devon team, with members from Okehampton, South Zeal, Torquay and Exeter, responded to the call for help. In two days last week, the team erected more than 60 feet of fencing.

With Mole Avon offering a price reduction on the materials used, the school managed to save around £3,000.

Graham Partridge, team manager for the North Devon lighting division, said: 'What we offer to projects is manpower, to get projects like this done.

'It is surprising how hard it can be to find projects that need our help in this way, but the second the school told us they needed something doing, we were keen to help.'

The Community at Heart initiative has already helped a number of organisations in the Okehampton area.

In 2011, the North Devon team helped to paint some of Okehampton Primary's classrooms. They have also helped the Okement Rivers Improvement Group to clear leats, and to paint the South Zeal sports pavilion.

Gail Partridge from the school said: 'There are lots of benefits to the fence, offering a doubled security barrier for our children, and also keeping them out of the play area when it is muddy.

'Everyone at the school is very grateful for them giving up their time, especially some of our parents, who will no longer have muddy school clothes to wash all the time!'

SSE runs the scheme annually, and is always on the lookout for organisations and projects to support.

To find out more, visit the website http://www.sse.co.uk/aboutus/communityatheart">www.sse.co.uk/aboutus/communityatheart or call the Bodmin office on 01237 473262.