PUPILS at Green Lane Primary School are raising cash for a unique friendship bench in memory of a former classmate.
Abigail Ford tragically died earlier this year after battling an aggressive form of neuroblastoma.
Pupils held a fundraising Wear Blue Day as that was Abigail’s favourite colour with the aim of raising £500 for the bench. Headteacher Rob Goffee said: “It will go out onto the playground so all the children can use it. The idea is the bench will be there and if anybody wants to talk to somebody, or anybody who wants to find a friend, can sit on the bench and people will come over.
Eleven-year-old Rhys, who was a close friend of Abigail, added: “It’s a bit like a buddy-bench. It sounds like a very good idea.”
Mr Goffee said: “We are going to raise about £300 today, but we do need another £200 to make it happen. If anybody can help us with donations to achieve that we will be really grateful.”
Anyone who can help can ring the school on 01833 690298.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
