A SAFETY floor made out of recycled trainers will form part of a new canopy at a County Durham nursery.
Bowes Pre-School, near Barnard Castle, has been awarded cash from the North Pennine Dales Leader fund to build the canopy onto its existing building, Woodpecker Lodge.
Constructed in 2009, Woodpecker Lodge currently provides up to 200 half-day places and offers a five-day-a-week service for tots aged between two and five from Teesdale, many coming from remote farms.
The canopy will provide shelter for the children from both the sun and the rain and will make it much easier for them when they go out from the pre-school building into the open.
The recycled trainers safety floor is being installed in partnership with Nike, while the canopy will be wooden with protective padding at the base and trasnparent UV panels.
This will ensure the pre-school continues to conform to Forest Schools and Eco School accreditation.
Sue Ellwood, from North Pennine Dales Leader, said: “It is always satisfying working with small groups that provide a valuable community service.”
She said funding had been made available through the Rural Development Programme for England, which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union
The work is expected to be completed by next March when a grand opening is planned.
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