Pupils enjoy new school library thanks to the Blockage Free Challenge

Nields School in Slaithwaite has officially opened their brand new library. The library has been significantly upgraded after the school successfully applied for funding through Yorkshire Water’s ‘Blockage Free Challenge’ community fund.

The fund was awarded to Huddersfield (postcodes HD8 0, HD6, HD7 and HD9) after Yorkshire Water ran a competition for which area could reduce sewer blockages the most in a month. Huddersfield saw the biggest reduction compared to the other hotspot zones of Leeds, Wakefield and Sheffield. These areas are Yorkshire’s sewer blockage hotspots where we see unparalleled blockages caused by wet wipes, sanitary items, fat and grease. At the start of the competition, Yorkshire Water cleaned miles of sewers in each of the areas and challenged the communities to change their habits to help keep them blockage free.

To help encourage residents to help, Yorkshire Water offered a £40,000 community prize fund for the winning area which local community groups and charities could apply to for funding. The new library at Nields School was solely funded by the fund and has given pupils a vibrant, colourful and enticing new library that still allows children to experience a calming environment to get lost in a book.

Nields School’s PTFA said: “Yorkshire Water's generosity has allowed us to buy some very nice furniture, cushions, beanbag and rugs. We have also had bespoke artwork, including a book entrance designed, created and painted, a bespoke window design and some amazing vinyls printed for us, with the help of some very talented parents and local businesses.”

Chelsea McGrory, Campaigns Manager for Yorkshire Water said: “It was great to see the amazing new library and the difference this has made to pupils at the school. I’d like to thank the everyone in our top sewer blockage hotspots for their champion efforts in reducing blockages and it’s nice to see us spending the money we’d normally spend clearing blockages on vital community projects.”

Headmaster, Mr Leigh Brown, said: "Reading is so important to the development of the young mind and our new library is the perfect place for our children to hopefully begin their life-long relationship with books. Our PTFA have done an amazing job and our pupils now have the library they deserve!”