Wiz-Kidz Nursery

A TIRED and tatty outdoor play area has been transformed into a vibrant and colourful place where children can let their imaginations run wild.

The play area at Wiz-Kidz Nursery, in Freeman Street, was in a sorry state, with damp on the walls, crumbling render, and with the faded out-of-date artwork providing the only hint of colour.

But now, after a £3,000 makeover, it boasts bright eye-catching murals depicting a range of colourful scenes, including a desert island where swashbuckling pirates roam for treasure, a playhouse, basketball hoop and a roofed area allowing youngsters to play outside in all weathers.

Raised flower beds and hanging baskets have been installed, meaning real flowers will soon be blooming alongside the cartoon ones painted on the walls.

The seeds have been planted by the children themselves and their parents at special workshops during the half-term holidays.

Fundraising for the refurbishment started last September. The nursery, which is located within the City Church Centre, in Freeman Street, secured a community development grant of £2,000, and the rest was raised at events organised by parents and nursery staff.

The fundraising bid was supported by the nearby Asda supermarket, which allowed the nursery to hold bucket collections in store.

The work was carried out by Grimsby-based Concrete Gardens, and sister company Sign Of The Times has provided new name signs for the walls of the alleyway leading to the play area.

The murals are the handiwork of Steve Beckett, a member of the City Church, who draws a comic strip for the Beano. Nursery manager Steve Small is delighted with the transformation.

He said: "It was quite a dowdy play area. It looked run down and tired, the artwork was 15 years old and the render was coming off the walls. It was all a bit messy.

"Now, it is bright, it is lively and it is fun. It's something that challenges the children, the beach scenes and the pirates set their imaginations off and they really enjoy playing out here.

"We got the physical building work done before Christmas, taking all the render off and replacing it, but because the weather was so bad the artwork only started going on after Easter."

Nursery supervisor Linda Stocks said: "It has made a massive difference and the children absolutely love playing out here. It really drives their imagination, and now we have got the covered area they can play out here all day long."

Parent Torri Johnson, 35, of Heneage Road, whose children Charlie, 4, and Annabel, 3, attend the nursery, said: "It's so much more fresh and bright. It was looking a little bit tired and tatty before. The children absolutely love the murals and they have enjoyed helping with the hanging baskets. It is outstanding."