Pupils at Culcheth Community Primary School have a brand-new reason to charge outside at playtime, after Sedulo stepped in with a generous donation for new outdoor equipment.
Parts of the old equipment had been condemned, leaving the school with the thoroughly unappealing choice of raiding its already stretched budget or watching the playground become a monument to broken promises. With funding reduced during the coronavirus pandemic, neither option was exactly ideal.
Sedulo, a business advisory firm, heard about the problem and bought the replacement equipment on the school's behalf. It was ordered and installed within weeks, which is refreshingly efficient by any standard.
The school shortlisted three designs, then handed the final decision to its School Council. The pupils chose an innovative metal climbing frame with a 25-year guarantee, proving that Culcheth youngest decision-makers may have a firmer grasp of long-term planning than some adults.
Amanda Dodd, head teacher at Culcheth Community Primary, said: "We are absolutely delighted with our new play equipment. We are all immensely grateful for the very generous donation that Sedulo have made. The children enjoyed choosing the designs and have loved trying out the new climbing frame."
Leyton Jeffs, partner at Sedulo, said the firm's mission was to make positive change in the communities where it works, adding that seeing the children playing with big smiles was particularly meaningful while many people were struggling with their wellbeing.
That is a genuinely good use of corporate generosity. Schools should not have to depend on businesses to replace unsafe playground equipment, of course, and the wider funding situation deserves serious scrutiny. But in this case, Sedulo has done something practical, speedy and lasting, while the children have received the bit that matters most: somewhere safe and exciting to play.
The story was reported by Jessica Farrington. The article also carries a curious subscriber-partnership disclaimer involving USA Today and The Herald, though thankfully the playground itself appears to be entirely local, rather than imported from across the Atlantic.