North West schools pledge support to primary school burnt to the ground in Australian bush fires

A group of schools in the North West are fundraising to support a school that was burnt to the ground in the Australian bush fires.

Clifton Creek Primary School, in Victoria, was destroyed by Wildfires that are currently sweeping through Australia at the end of December.

Schools in Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria are all working together to help Clifton Creek.

As well as fundraising, the schools are preparing boxes with essential items and letters to the pupils at the Australian school.

It is hoped that the funds will be able to help the school relace curriculum resources, as well as financing trips to create films on nature, animals and conservation in the area.

The campaign to help rebuild the rural school in Victoria is also urging businesses to help raise the funds needed to rebuild structures and supply vital ICT equipment and stationery to help the school recover.

It is being led by Sandbach-based Gill Benning, a former teacher turned education business consultant, who has successfully worked with thousands of schools for over 20-years.

She was moved to mobilise schools to help after hearing from her relatives in Australia of the impact the tragedy was having on the country's education infrastructure.

She said: "It's going to take years for Australia to recover from the bushfires and rural schools like Clifton Creek feel very much at the back of the queue.

"They have been promised a few portacabins to get them up and running but their government is doing nowhere near enough and they need help."

She added: "This was a unique school with its own secret garden, chook pavilion, frog bog and veggie gardens.

"The community has lost everything and through our efforts, I'm hoping we can not only accelerate the recovery but let the Clifton Creek children and residents know that people on the other side of the world care about their plight."

You can donate to the fund for Clifton Creek Primary School here.