A new construction-themed play area has been created at a nursery to help inspire children to think of careers in the industry when they are older.

Nesham Nursery, in Houghton-le-Spring, was given a donation by national housebuilder Persimmon to create the new learning and play area.

The nursery has now welcomed Persimmon Durham managing director Graeme Hogg and Sunderland councillor Michael Butler to see the new area.

The children were also presented with high-vis jackets and hard hats.

A spokesperson for Nesham Nursery said: "On behalf of everyone at Nesham, we want to express a massive thank you to Persimmon for their generous donation.

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"Thanks to their support, we were able to buy new educational resources, which will provide our children with fantastic opportunities to stimulate their imagination, connect to real-life experiences, and enhance their personal, social, and emotional skills through collaborative activities and so much more."

Councillor Michael Butler, child poverty and skills portfolio holder at Sunderland Council, said: "This generous donation, which funded equipment for a new play area, will give children access to engaging building materials—hopefully inspiring them to pursue trades as they grow older.

"It is vital that we start from a young age and create the right environment for social mobility."

Persimmon supports local communities through our Community Champions programme, donating £750,000 each year, and our Building Futures scheme with its donations of over £1 million.