CONSTRUCTION students have been putting their best foot forward, stepping up to design and build a welly store and changing area for a local school.

The purpose-built facility offers the pupils of Collierley Primary School, Dipton, bespoke welly hangers and benching, which means they can sit in comfort to change their footwear. The large lockable wooden doors and watertight store keep the wellies safe and dry.

Created by construction students from Derwentside College, the scheme is part of a project being delivered by the Durham Villages Regeneration Company (DVRC), the partnership between Durham County Council and home builder, Keepmoat Homes. As well as delivering new homes, its aim is to support community and training initiatives.

This venture is offering construction students hands on experience of working on live projects and around 20 of them, aged between 16 and 39, were involved in the scheme which ran from July 2018 last year until March.

The result is Collierley Primary pupils spending less time looking for lost footwear and more time enjoying forest teaching activities, such as bug hunting and sand and water play.

Ken Johnson, Deputy Head of the Construction Faculty at Derwentside College said: “This collaboration has enabled our apprentices and full-time construction students to work across a range of disciplines and trades.

"The benefits are far reaching, providing opportunities to get hands on experience, problem solve, manage a project and practice skills. For the school we are able to provide a needed facility.”

Angela McDermid, head teacher at Collierley Primary School, added: “We are thrilled with our new welly store.

"The pupils love it and are taking very good care of it. Playtimes are 20 per cent of the school day, so we invest heavily for these times to be positive and active experiences.

"This includes opportunities for the children to extend their scientific skills by planting in the allotment areas or mixing potions in the mud and sand kitchens. The new welly store helps towards making these activities more manageable.”