Community day marks unveiling of ‘Calm Corner’ for pupils at Dagenham school

A school in Dagenham staged a community day, sponsored by B Wallis & Sons, featuring choirs, bands and dancers. The day also saw the unveiling of a new outdoor space which has been created for pupils and donated by Bellway.

Hundreds of people turned up at Hunters Hall Primary School in Alibon Road for the multicultural and wellbeing day, with Councillor Faruk Choudhury, the Mayor of Barking and Dagenham, officially opening the ‘Calm Corner’.

Bellway London Partnerships and its contractors Statom joined forces to construct the new space, which is a sheltered area and provides benches and artificial turf to give children a quiet place to sit during break time.

The developer is currently building new homes nearby at its Eastbrooke Village and Fielders Quarter developments at Barking Riverside, a huge scheme regenerating the former Barking Power Station site and delivering 10,800 new homes for the local area.

At the event, which was held between 12.30 and 4pm, visitors to the school were entertained by a host of live acts, including the Royal British Legion Band & Corps of Drums from Romford and Rumford Morris Dancers, as well as Bollywood, African, Romanian and Irish dancing, and music from African drums, steel pans and gospel and reggae choirs.

There were health and well-being workshops offering starter sessions, games for children and a number of stalls providing a variety of food and drink.

Samantha Gosby, Parent Governor for Hunters Hall Primary School, said, “Following the success of our Eid event in 2022, the next steps for a full multicultural and wellbeing day was apparent. This would give everyone the opportunity to not only celebrate our difference but to rejoice in our similarities. We all had a fantastic day together and are already looking forward to our next event.”

Dan Brady, Development Director of Bellway London Partnerships, said: “When the staff at Hunters Hall Primary School approached us for assistance in creating a new ‘Calm Corner’, we were delighted to be able to help. Anything that helps improve the mental wellbeing of children deserves our full support.

“We teamed up with our contractors Statom to build the new zone at the school which will give the children there a space where they can go and be quiet and collect their thoughts.

“It was fabulous to be able to go along on the day and be a part of the community celebrating the unveiling of the ‘Calm Corner’, along with pupils and their parents and carers, local councillors and members of the public who live in the area and had come along to join in the fun.”

For more information about the new homes at Eastbrooke Village and Fielders Quarter, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/london-partnerships.