A team of enterprising learners in Cheshire have given a former primary school a new lease of life as a community facility.

The eight foundation degree public and community service students from South Cheshire College, who called themselves ‘Decor8’, raised hundreds of pounds through raffles, tombolas and a community fundraising wall in a local supermarket to decorate and furnish the building in Crewe.

Student Erica Smith said: “This has been a really fun project and we have all worked extremely well  as a team.

“People were very generous  . . . we’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported us.”

The refurbished building will be home to the Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts for people with physical, sensory or learning disabilities, and a Skills for Life group that will give young people the chance to learn new skills and sports. It also will host after-school clubs and community events for the over-60s.

Featured image caption: Ash Barrow, 18, and Steph Sandham, 19, have their paintbrushes at the ready