Power station stepped in to help village school in need

CHILDREN at Walton shared a classroom with a difference in January 1979.

The 100 schoolchildren in the South Derbyshire village had been frozen out of their school since the Christmas holidays of December 1978, but were back poring over their books in a different way.

Instead of sitting at their own desks in familiar classrooms, the children were taking lessons in a plush social club, nestling in the shadows of the giant cooling towers at nearby Drakelow Power Station.

For David Dance, power station superintendent at Drakelow, proved that the firm really did have a heart and contacted head teacher Rowland Turner as soon as he learned of the school’s plight.

Mr Dance said: “We like to think of ourselves as part of the local community.

“I felt we ought to do something to help the children as we were in a position to do so.”

Mr Dance heard of the problems facing the pupils when he was approached by members of his staff who live in Walton and whose children attend the village school.

“I got in touch with the headmaster straight away. It seemed unfair that the children were in this position.

“Naturally we were concerned about their education, particularly the ten- and 11-year-olds.

“The social club is used mainly in the evening yet it is heated during the day.

“It is comfortable and spacious and we felt lent itself to the occasion.

“Mr Turner came over to have a look and agreed it would be ideal.”

At lunchtime the children were even tucking into meals prepared by the Central Electricity Generating Board’s catering staff at Drakelow.

Mr Dance added: “We consulted our catering manager about this.

“He was already preparing around 300 meals a day and the little extra effort involved seemed to be well worth the spirit of good neighbourliness it would foster.”

The children made the mile trip from the village to the power station on two specially arranged coaches and found that cupboards full of books and equipment had arrived before them.