YOUNGSTERS from Princetown Primary School have used their own initiative and designed play equipment — while making sure they involve the whole village community.

Pupils on the school council have not only designed play equipment for the older children at the school by themselves — but raised funds by holding events in Princetown.

Jessie, Kieran, Toby, Martha, Ronnie, Katie and Logan, from years 5 and 6, and all members of the school council, realised that the school needed something enjoyable for the older children.

They spent hours designing equipment and came up with many ideas the children would all enjoy.

But then came the hard part — getting the funds together to install at least one of the ideas they had created, and at around £4,000 apiece, it was not going to be easy.

The school council held events including cake sales to raise funds, and with donations from the school's parent forum, and a wonderful donation from the Princetown Charity Shop, the amount raised currently stands at more than £1,300.

Louise Cragg, chair of the parent forum for Princetown Primary School, said: 'The children are raising money for playground equipment as there is currently no equipment for older children.

'We really want to emphasise that it's their project. The parent forum has raised money and the charity shop has given money but this whole thing is definitely their idea and they want to show they have the skills and that this is their project.

'The children have raised over £1,300 which is a huge achievement for eight to nine-year-olds. They are baking cakes and getting the people in the community involved. It's a small community and it's nice that it is so enthusiastic.'

Emma Burchell, teaching assistant and mentor of the school council, said: 'It costs around £4,000 for just one piece of equipment.

'The children have raised enough to purchase the equipment, but it's the safety mats and the installation of the equipment that costs the most.'

Jackie and Claire, who both live in Princetown, work at the village's charity shop, which donated an amount to the school.

They said that volunteers from the shop had grandchildren or have had grandchildren who went to the school.

Jackie said that all members from the shop got together and decided to agree to donating to the school for the equipment, as they felt that the 'children at the school are the future of the village'.

l On the cards to raise more funds are cake sales, a car wash, a mufti day, pyjama day and an Easter raffle.