A VILLAGE school near Bromsgrove has had its playground transformed.

Blackwell First School welcomed back 14 Cadbury employees, from Bournville, who spent two days in the school playground planting trees and building new playground equipment, including designing and building new games.

Cadbury employee Claire Kirkby, a governor at the school, previously helped to raise £1,000 of Cadbury cash through the company’s 2007 Activity Fund, which rewarded local sports and activity projects that are linked with employees and need financial support. Fellow Cadbury employee Laura Bradley led a team of helpers back to the school to continue the good work they started last year.

The helpers also bought additional materials and toys using a £300 reward given to the team by Cadbury for their previous hard work renovating the playground area.

The team built new benches, painted fences, re-landscaped the flowerbeds and planted a pear tree. They also put their creativity to the test by designing and building new games for the children to use. Lesley Penfold, chair of governors, said: “Claire and her Cadbury colleagues have been heavily involved with the school over the past year. It is a delight to welcome the team back to the school and see all the wonderful work that they have done. “The children were very excited to see their playground look like new and I would like to thank the team for all their hard work,” he added.