Children at a South Shields school are getting more active after a plea for support to tackle inactivity was answered by the operator of the Tyne Tunnels.

Forest View Primary School teachers – concerned about low activity levels, rising obesity and development delays in core motor skills amongst its pupils – reached out to TT2 for help purchasing outdoor play equipment.

The Tyne Tunnels Community Fund has donated £10,000 towards new playground climbing facilities for Early Years and Key Stage 2 pupils and was able to extend their lifeline further:

“As well as having no outdoor play facilities for their youngest and oldest students, they also told us about the struggles their families face around accessing physical activity outside of school and active travel.

“Fortunately, we were able to help with this as well – by providing them with refurbished bicycles,” said COO at TT2, Shaun Simmons.

The two new sets of playground apparatus, which cost £25,000 in total, have been installed in school grounds and are now being enjoyed by the children.

TT2 has also donated 20 refurbished bicycles to the school through the Recirculate project. The project, funded by InfraRed Capital Partners, Equans E&S Solutions and Vercity Group, works with prison bike workshops to renovate second hand bikes, giving inmates meaningful work, locates the bikes with recipients who can benefit from improved physical and mental health, and saves the bikes from being scrapped.

In addition to this support, TT2 funds the school’s Breakfast Club, delivered through the Greggs Foundation, to ensure its pupils can benefit from a free, nutritious meal to start their day.

A parent at the school, Claire Gray, said: “I really appreciate the bike I have received. All my children now have bikes and I will be able to take them out on bike rides and we will all be able to get exercise together. Thank you.”

Emma Cook, Headteacher, at Forest View Primary School, said: “Despite us actively promoting physical activity, many of our children are unfortunately not active enough. Increasing numbers of our early years children are also arriving with underdeveloped motor skills.

“Our Early Years and Key Stage 2 pupils didn’t have any outdoor climbing equipment after a previous trim trail had deteriorated beyond repair.

“We managed to raise some money towards new play facilities but our school serves an area of high deprivation so fundraising can be particularly challenging.

“We are very grateful to TT2 for their ongoing support. The new play equipment, the bikes and the funded breakfasts make a huge difference to our children, their health and wellbeing.”

Shaun Simmons from TT2 adds: “We are delighted to support Forest View Primary School. From creating exciting outdoor play opportunities and supporting breakfast provision to

enabling access to bicycles through the Re-Circulate project – these investments are all about helping young people thrive and strengthening our wider community.”