SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School appeal for books after fire

Firefighters were called to SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School Great Lever at 8.30am on Thursday after a blaze was said to have started in roof of the building.

Around 80 firefighters battled the fire at its height and extensive damage has been caused to the Newport Road school.

Teachers at the school are now appealing for book donations so they can begin to restore its library to minimise disruption for pupils.

ALSO READ: SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School fire devastation

Year Four teacher Katie Harper said: “We are kindly asking for book donations suitable for primary aged pupils- from nursery (aged two to three) to Year Six (11-12) to help us rebuild our libraries.

“These can be books of any kind, fiction, or non-fiction, in good/new condition.

Firefighters tackle blaze (Image: Newsquest)

“Any donation at all will be greatly appreciated by our staff and children.

“We have arranged for the drop-offs to be at Co-Op Funeral Care Homes across Bolton, and we need books for children in nursery up to year six.

“We have lost the whole site and we have no idea when children will be back in school and so in the short term we are going to try and have the class libraries.

• ALSO READ: SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School fire latest update

“The books are at the heart of everything, especially with the area that we are in, we are in such a deprived area that the books just mean everything to them, and all of the learning comes from there.

“And we just want to keep children learning at home as well and children say they like to escape into the books and this is going to cause them so much disruption, we just want to keep that to a minimum and try to get back to what we had a quickly as possible.

Smoke from the fire (Image: Newsquest)

“None of the books will go to waste, anything at all will help.

“Our children deserve the world and rebuilding their cherished library is just the start of our long journey ahead.

“Thank you to everyone from our team at SSSJ for your support in this.”

The addresses for drop offs at the different co-op sites are as follows: 

• Shaws Funeral Care, 20 Park Street, Bolton, BL1 4BD
• Farnworth Funeral Care, Albert Street, Farnworth, BL4 9HP
• Bolton Funeral Care, Crompton Way, Bolton, BL1 8NZ
• Walkden Funeral Care, 294 Bolton Road, Walkden, M28 3FJ
• Hardman and McManus Funeral Care, 687 Bury Road, Breightmet, Bolton, BL2 6HP
• Relphs Funeral Care, Arden House, Blackburn Road, Bolton, BL1 8DW
• Donations are also being taken at All Smiles Pre-School (Rosehill Church, Westbourne Avenue, BL3 2JZ) from September 5 between 8am and 4pm.

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @chloewjourno.