Pupils at Heckington preschool have enjoyed playing with a new sandpit, toy box and bike store which were donated following construction of new council homes in their village.

Lindum Group handed over the items after building four new flats on an old car park in High Street for North Kesteven District Council.

The flats are now part of the council’s housing stock and are being rented to local people who had been on the district’s council house waiting list.

Following completion, Lindum commissioned two social enterprises to make the wooden items, which were then gifted to the local preschool.

North Kesteven District Council Corporate Director, Phil Roberts, who has oversight of the housing programme at NKDC, said: “We are delighted that it is not only the residents of our four new much-needed flats in Heckington who are benefitting from this project to enhance housing choice locally, but also that children at the village pre-school are enjoying some wonderful new play equipment thanks to the generosity of build contractors Lindum.

“This has been a fruitful partnership that has brought broad mutual benefit across the community and we are delighted with the outcomes on every level.”

The construction contract was commissioned via the Scape Regional Construction framework and the wooden items were made by East Midlands Wood Recycling and Pelican Trust.

Heckington Pre-School Manager Sue Berry added: “We are a small charity-led preschool and as we rely upon the generosity of the local community, this was gratefully received.

“We are always striving to update our play equipment and infrastructure, attempting where we can to move to more natural resources. We cannot thank Lindum Group enough for the wooden bike shed, toy box and sand table they have so generously donated.

“The difference that these items will make on a daily basis to so many of our children cannot be measured, and the fact that they were made by two Social Enterprises, who help long-term unemployed and disadvantage groups get back to work by gaining experience, only makes the gesture more special.”

Lindum director Richard Shaw said the company always strives to leave a positive legacy in the communities in which it works.

“By using social enterprises to produce these items, we are supporting disadvantaged local people,” he said. “And by donating them to the local preschool, we can help to make a positive impact on young people in the community.

“Heckington preschool is a lovely setting and we are happy to support its work – especially as one of our estimators currently sends his daughter there.

“We are really pleased to work with our procurement partner Scape and our repeat client North Kesteven District Council on this donation and the wider housing project.”