We want a new kitchen

May 15 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

A NEW kitchen would be on the menu for the children at a Northumberland school if they were to win a cash prize in The Journal’s Tokens for Schools competition.

Sele First School, in Hexham, is one of the largest in the county with 479 pupils, but needs a replacement for its rapidly deteriorating kitchen.

The building, which lies behind Hexham Abbey, dates back to 1856 – and it is a history the school celebrates – yet there are elements of the school on which the ageing process is taking its toll.

The current kitchen is not on the same floor as the canteen where the children eat and the school is forced to use a lift to transport the food down a level.

Over the years, the lift has deteriorated, and engineers have suggested it needs replacing at a cost of £25,000.

Headteacher Maggie Anderson is determined to explore another route and create a new state-of-the art kitchen for both the school cooks and the children to use. She said: “It would go a significant way to covering the cost of a new kitchen if we won the competition. We have been trying to remove the need for a lift and have a modern, up-to-date kitchen downstairs where children can see food being made and do their own cooking. I think it would be absolutely tremendous if we could get the money together.”

It is hoped that the new kitchen would be up and running by September next year. And Mrs Anderson was confident of the school’s chances in the token collecting competition. “We have fantastic support from parents here.

“Hexham is a small community and they support their schools very well.

“The parents work hard to promote the same values as the school and making sure we have healthy, fit children is of huge importance at the moment.”