Big boost for school as company sets up innovative new sports area '“ for free

A school has been given a major sporting boost after a multi-functional goal was provided free of charge.
St Bega's pupils Logan Dennis, Maisie Amerigo, Amy Saxon, Kalan Richardson, Frankie Wood and Cole Byron with headteacher Mike Cooney and Karl Briggs, David Morrison, Andy Wilson, Mick Langley, Craig Chapman and Mickey Rowell from Interserve Construction, with the new sports area.St Bega's pupils Logan Dennis, Maisie Amerigo, Amy Saxon, Kalan Richardson, Frankie Wood and Cole Byron with headteacher Mike Cooney and Karl Briggs, David Morrison, Andy Wilson, Mick Langley, Craig Chapman and Mickey Rowell from Interserve Construction, with the new sports area.
St Bega's pupils Logan Dennis, Maisie Amerigo, Amy Saxon, Kalan Richardson, Frankie Wood and Cole Byron with headteacher Mike Cooney and Karl Briggs, David Morrison, Andy Wilson, Mick Langley, Craig Chapman and Mickey Rowell from Interserve Construction, with the new sports area.

Pupils at St Bega’s RC Primary School, based on Thorpe Street, Hartlepool, have already started to use the new facility, which is based in the main yard.

It features new goalposts, as well as blocks of wood to both sides of them and above to ensure the ball will bounce back if children miss the target.

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Also included on the design is a hoop which can be used by netball and basketball enthusiasts.

The new sports area was put up by workers from construction company Interserve, while the timber used was provided by retail company Travis Perkins.

The final result was one which greatly pleased the school’s headteacher, Mike Cooney.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the work which has been done.

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“The goalposts are beautiful and futuristic, and as soon as they saw it, the children were clamouring to use it.

“It’s such a boost for the school, and a real bonus, because we haven’t had to pay for it.

“It has saved us a lot of money and helped us build up relationships with local companies.

“The children have already started using it, and they love it.”

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The new facility has already been used by pupils, while the surplus timber also came in handy.

Mr Cooney added: “We have a little talent competition in the school every year, and they used the timber which was left over to make a little stage. That was an even bigger bonus for us.

“The goalposts are fantastic, and have fencing to the side of them and solid decking above so that when the children miss the goal, the ball comes back.

“It’s multi-functional, too, with it being suitable for netball and basketball as well, and it will be used for play-time in our main yard.

“Hopefully this is just the start for us, because we’re already working on fundraising to provide more equipment and apparatus for the children in the yard.”