HMS Calliope Royal Navy team works to transform school playground

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 8, 2011 -- A North Tyneside school playground is “ship shape and Bristol fashion” after a team of volunteers from the Royal Naval Reserve gave up their weekend ,equipped themselves with paint brushes, gardening tools and overalls and totally transformed the appearance of the playground.

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HMS Calliope Royal Navy team works to transform school playground

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The play area at Woodlawn School in Monkseaton had seen better days and did little to inspire or encourage the school’s pupils to look after their play area prompting the school’s Communications Coordinator, Michelle Harding who is also an Able Seaman at the Tyne’s Royal Naval Reserve Unit, HMS Calliope, to press gang her shipmates into helping with the transformation.

More than 10 of her colleagues eagerly accepted the challenge and set to work organising and planning the layout of the new play area and together with the help of local shops and businesses who donated flowers, plants and materials to aid the project, the result was a play area that the students could be proud of.

Head Teacher Designate, Simon Ripley was delighted with the hard work and commitment that the RNR team had put into helping the school.

“We now have an area that the children can be justly proud of,” he said. “There are parts of the playground that were previously overrun with weeds that our students can take responsibility for and look after as part of their on-going education. We are thrilled with the way the RNR took on this project.”

Tyne RNR’s Commanding Officer, Commander Andy Collier was full of praise for his team.

“Today’s Royal Navy is all about team work and what better way to demonstrate this than our group of reservists from all ranks giving up their weekend freely and helping the community. I am very proud of their initiative, team work and community spirit,” he said.

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RNR1 Photo shows L to R Sub Lieutenant Jim Farquhar, Chief Dave Limbrick. AB1 Kevin “Frankie” Howard and front row two pupils of the school with AB Michelle Harding

RNR2 Photo shows A youngster wearing the Calliope cap with pride
RNR3 Photo shows L to R, Chief Dave Limbrick Sub Lieutenant Jim Farquhar, AB1 Kevin “Frankie” Howard and front row a pupil of the school with AB Michelle Harding


RNR Tyne – Editors Notes

HMS Calliope is the Royal Naval Reserve unit in Gateshead, with a ship's company of around 120. They meet every Monday evening for training.

There has been a Royal Naval Reserve presence on Tyneside since 1905, when Tyne Division of the RNVR was formed. For its first training ship, the Division chose the famous HMS Calliope, veteran of the Samoa Hurricane, which was berthed at Elswick in Newcastle upon Tyne.

In 1951, the original HMS Calliope was replaced by HMS Falmouth which was renamed Calliope. This new ship kept the same moorings at Elswick. The unit moved ashore in 1968 to its current location, retaining the name HMS Calliope.
In Greek mythology, Calliope was the muse of epic poetry and the Royal Navy has given this name to six ships.


Media Information from Keith Newman at Highlights Public Relations on 07814 397951

keith@highlights-public-relations.co.uk

More information can be found online at http://www.highlightspr.co.uk

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