North Walsham schoolchildren want community help on pom-pom project to fund vandalism repairs

Manor Road Primary school suffered a vandalism attack last October and they're now appealing to the public to help with pom-pom making to raise funds to replace some of the things which were damaged pictured are Angelica Fiszer-Tsenembis, Maddi Smith and Paige Everson.Photo by Mark Bullimore (Image: Archant Norfolk)

A community effort to make thousands of colourful pom-poms will help erase the memory of a vicious vandal attack on a north Norfolk school.

Children and staff at the federation of North Walsham Junior, Infant School and Nursery want to make a bobbing pom-pom ceiling sculpture for their hall and hope the feat will raise £5,000.

They will use their Project Pom-Pom cash towards replacing play equipment and classroom materials trashed when vandals attacked the Manor Road schools during October half-term last year.

The schools are appealing for donations of wool, for help from the community to make 5,000 pom-poms, and for people to make a 'pom-pom pledge', sponsoring the fluffy balls for £1 each.

The damage after vandals targeted the me-time mobile at The federation of North Walsham Junior, Infant School and Nursery. (Image: Archant)

'We're going to have pom-pom parties where parents come in to school and make them with the children, and we're also hoping community groups - like WIs and churches - will get involved,' said Gill Finch, executive deputy head teacher.

Pupils would also be going to residential homes to make pom-poms with elderly residents.

'The pom-poms will be suspended from the hall ceiling where they will look very colourful and move with the air movement,' she added.

'The children were very angry at what had happened to their school and we wanted them to be a part of putting right what went wrong.'

On two separate occasions the vandals attacked a 'Me Time' mobile classroom at the school, smashing its windows, hurling paint around the inside, overturning bookshelves, and tossing benches across the field.

They also damaged outside play equipment including a trampoline, a rope swing and a toy shed.

Mrs Finch said the community had rallied round with offers of help to tidy up after the attacks, and with donations of money.

A replacement mobile is due to open today. It will be used to give children extra learning support, and for parents' groups.

As well as the school, North Walsham Library, the town's Victory leisure centre, and the Cockerel Restaurant have collection points for wool donations.

'It's nice that from quite a hideous thing, something quite nice has come,' said Mrs Finch.

Anyone who would like to get involved in the project should contact Mrs Finch on 01692 403013.

? Is your school staging a special event? Contact alex.hurrell@archant.co.uk