Youngsters at a Gwynedd primary school turned a £200 donation into a hands-on-building project that saw pupils create their own outdoor furniture.

Ysgol Borth y Gest, near Porthmadog, won the cash after being selected as the winner of an online competition run by storage firm Lock Stock Self Storage which has a site in the town.

Instead of spending the money on ready-made benches and tables for the school’s forest school area, headteacher Nia Jones came up with a different idea.

She wanted pupils to gain practical skills and experience by helping to build the furniture themselves.

The donation from Lock Stock, together with additional funding from the school’s Parent Teacher Association, paid for the materials to make four benches and two tables.

It also funded a woodworking workshop led by joiner Hefin Hughes, giving the children the chance to get hands-on with the project from start to finish.

Lock Stock Self Storage regional manager Lee Hanson attended the workshop to see the youngsters in action, while Erynne Watson, who leads the school’s forest school sessions, was also there to see the benches and tables put into place.

Headteacher Nia Jones said: “I just thought this would be an opportunity to give the children another learning experience, rather than just buying the stuff.

“Because they have been part of the building of it, I think the children will look after the furniture a bit better and take more pride in it.

“This also allows the children to understand the process and also the journey of how wood is used.

“The children loved taking part in the sessions to build the benches and tables, they have all been involved.

“They love taking part in everything to be honest, they are always enthusiastic about everything we throw at them and they always give their best.

“We are very grateful to Lock Stock Self Storage for the donation, we are delighted they have supported our little, local school.”

Lee Hanson said he was hugely impressed by the children’s enthusiasm in building the benches and tables.

He said: “It’s a great idea to have the children take such an active part in creating the furniture, it’s much more fun than just buying the benches and tables.

“It gives the children a chance to learn new things and be really hands-on.

“Lock Stock is a company which is part of every community we serve and it’s lovely to see how this donation is being used to not only provide something for the school, but also create a new learning experience.

“Some of the children have never held a drill before and they have really enjoyed it and enjoyed getting stuck in.

“They can be very proud of how they have helped create something so useful for the school.”

The forest school sessions are held on a weekly basis on land next to the school and Ms Jones said they had quickly become a firm favourite among the children.

She said: “For us, the forest school sessions are the best part of the week.

“Erynne has been leading the sessions for us for three years now and they are honestly the highlight of the children’s week.

“The benefits of forest school learning include the wellness of the children and just being out in the fresh air, it just makes all the difference.”

Erynne Watson, who runs outdoor learning company Ysbrydoli Gan Natur (Inspired By Nature), said: “Forest school principles are very much based on child-led learning in nature.

“It gives the children opportunities to experience and measure their own risks, so they get to be hands-on with hand tools and do whittling, woodcarving, pruning and woodland management.

“They can build rope-swings, dens, all those kinds of things, and enjoy the outdoors.

“The benches will be seated around our fire circle space which is our main meeting point, weather permitting we always have an open fire.

“The children have the experience of how to light a fire using fire strikers, they learn about fire safety and how to be responsible when it comes to fire.

“The tables will be fantastic for this school in particular, because they are very much into their crafting.

“I think the donation from Lock Stock is fantastic, very generous.”

Hefin Hughes, who runs woodworking workshops in schools through his company Blagur Coed, said: “It was a joy to be at the school and working with the children.

“They all showed some good skills in drilling, screwing, measuring and marking and working as a team.

“It is great to see the tables and benches being used for the forest school – it’s what they are made for really, to be in the surroundings of the forest school.”

The pupils said they thoroughly enjoyed building the furniture.

Oti, 10, said: “It was really good to build the tables and benches, especially because they will be used in our forest school.

“I really like forest school, especially the arts and crafts we do there.

“It’s good to be outside, it makes a change from being in the classroom.”

Aveline, 11, said: “I really liked helping build the benches and tables.

“I really liked that we are able to drill things, I have never used a drill before, so it was good fun.

“I like forest school, especially because we are able to play with our friends out in nature.”

The donation from Denbigh-based Lock Stock Self Storage comes as the expanding firm continues to support the communities it serves.

Founded in 2000, Lock Stock has over 5,700 storage units providing more than five million cubic feet of space at more than 35 storage parks across North and Mid Wales, the border counties and the north west.

For information about Lock Stock Self Storage, including off-site container hire, contact them on 01745 817178 or go to https://lockstock.biz/