Moving on....
Well, surveying what was left of our much loved school was heartbreaking, The governors and staff looked in through the mesh fencing that had been erected, we weren't allowed to approach any closer for the school building was unsafe, ferocious flames and the ensueing heat had buckled brickwork and what remained of the face of the school had warped too, clearly there was nothing to be salvaged.
This part of the school
was the nearest to surviving.
Peering through the blackened windows of the furthest classroom on the ground floor we could see silhouettes of furniture, chairs, desks and filing cabinets, we thought that we may salvage something after all.
But it wasn't to be, the fire had not totally destroyed the furnishings , but once they were removed, it became obvious that they were beyond redemption.
Here on the right were
the most damaged classrooms.
Bottom right was our resources room.
To the left of what was the stairwell, that room used to be a support base classroom which provided for around 15 children from other schools in the area.
This is the view from
the Nursery Children's play area.
In the foreground, we should be looking at the library, above and behind it can be seen the skeleton of what was once our assembly hall.
Here on the right is
the remains of our dining room and Assembly hall.
Hartley, our school mascot, donned his firemans helmet and
took the photo's on this page.
If there was only one thing that we have in the Owton Manor area of Hartlepool it's a family spirit! We are a real community.
The support group that is known as the 'Friends of Grange Primary School' were in action already!
For all that their equipment such as computer, printer, sewing machines etc. had been destroyed by the fire too, plans were already underway for fundraising, coffee mornings, karaoke nights - you name it and they already had it planned!
Sewing machines were borrowed, and a local company (see donations) had already offered lots of fabric so that the 'Friends' could replace the gym bags that they had made for the school only a year earlier, but that were destroyed in the fire.
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Not forgotten either is our favourite N.E. England newspaper, The Hartlepool Mail, and it's Editor Peter Barron who have been so supportive of our school and community.
Not just since the fire either, Peter Barron himself had visited our school just a few weeks prior to the fire during national 'book week' and he sat in what was once our Junior School assembly hall and read to the children.
The Mail has enthusiastically covered our school and wider community events, giving us a lasting record to look back on. They have also promoted the 'back from the ashes' campaign which has been instrumental in aiding our recovery.
In doing so, Peter Barron and the Hartlepool Mail have made themselves part of our community too.
Thanks once again.
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