PICTURES: Budding bookworms open new school library in New Mills

After much hard work and fundraising St George’s Primary School new library has officially been opened with thousands of books to help inspire a generation and beyond into reading.

The project started in the summer and thanks to generous donors the school has smashed its £8,000 target and raised almost a thousand pounds more to install a new library and story telling chair.

Headteadcher Mandy Brown said: “Before we had a horrible dingy library in an area the students didn’t really go in but now we have brought reading back to the heart of the school in between Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and it is just a wonderful wonderful space now.”

Also in the new library is a story chair where teachers or pupils can sit and read and it was designed by some of the pupils.

The ideas were all brought together and the chair features Gruffalo spikes, as well Rapunzel’s hair, a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

Volunteer mum who has been working on the project said: “We have been working on it in the new school library space and the children keep coming over to see how it is getting together but seeing it all put together is amazing.”

Echoing her sentiments Becky Lambert from the PTA said: “It is really wonderful and there are so many different story elements to look at.

“I hope this chair will not only inspire children to read but also write their own stories.”

The library, which now has thousands of new books for children to enjoy, was officially opened by students from New Mills Primary School and before the ribbon was cut members of the school council thanked people for supporting the project and giving them an ‘amazing’ new reading space.

To raise the funds the PTA has been encouraging people to sponsor a shelf for the new area and last month whole school took part in a Where’s Whally sponsored walk around New Mills.

Darren Cooper, from A Allen and Son in New Mills, sponsored a book shelf. He said: “I like to help and support local causes and this is a great project to get behind as it will benefit students for years to come.”