A45 highways workers help Wellingborough nursery after cone appeal

Children attending a Wellingborough nursery have been helped by members of a National Highways construction crew to improve their outdoor play area.

Littlestones Pre-School and Out of School Clubs in Jackson's Lane approached National Highways hoping to get some cones or similar equipment from the A45 improvements scheme that children could use in their outside play area.

But when a team from principal contractor Morgan Sindall Infrastructure then visited the school’s HQ, they realised they could do better than that.

Much to the delight of staff and pupils, the A45 scheme’s teams also built and donated a playhouse as well as tidying up the play area, creating a footpath and two mud kitchens.

National Highways construction assurance manager, David Marlow, said: “We appreciate that any roadworks can be disruptive so we like to give something back to the local communities whenever we can and this was a perfect opportunity to do so.

“Outdoor play is so important for children in developing social skills as well as learning and just having fun. We were only too happy to enhance their play area and make the experience even better for the children.”

The team also delivered a STEM session and road safety activities for pupils which included building bridges and learning about traffic light systems.

Littlestones spokesman Julie Hale said: “The staff and children at Littlestones say a big thank you for all the hard work in building our playhouse, we love spending time in there playing alongside our friends and extending our learning in the great outdoors.”

Social value manager for Morgan Sindall Infrastructure's highways team, Emma Searle, said: “Our team thoroughly enjoyed meeting the children and sharing some insights about our sector and the work that we do as well.”

Work is now finished on the A45 scheme which repaired embankments and improved drainage on the east and westbound carriageways between Great Doddington (junction 11) and the Wilby Way roundabout (A45/A509).

The work was needed to repair two sections of embankment on the eastbound carriageway and one on the westbound where there had been some slippage.