The ‘beautification’ of the front entrance of the school was an initiative by the P and C Association and has been ongoing for the last few years.

Beginning with the installation of a disabled access ramp, the project has since grown to include the erection of an internal gate and fence, a tiled front door entrance and new front doors, new plants and fruit trees to support the kitchen garden program, new signage, beautiful mosaics, a water feature and a new footpath.

“It’s a project that was long overdue,” Forbes North Public School principal Steve McAlister said.

“It was something that the school has been looking at for quite some time … but we haven’t had the resources to do it.

“We are lucky to have a very proactive P and C committee. Their initial approach was to beautify the front of the school and make it more welcoming. That was the catalyst for the work.

“But to be really welcoming, having access for prams and wheelchairs was vital.”

The beautification project, which is estimated to have cost $40,000 all up, wouldn’t have been possible without the help of some generous local businesses and in particular, the generosity of Northparkes Mines who supplied the labour and materials involved in the ramp installation, which was worth about $20,000 alone.

Through the Northparkes Volunteer Leave program, Forbes man Russ Constable led the project, coordinating their suppliers to provide free and discounted materials and labour.

All up 273 hours of labour was involved in the project, the single biggest for the Northparkes Volunteer Leave program last year.

Lachlan Readymix supplied the concrete, Magill’s Earthmoving and Concreting poured the concrete, Haley’s Steel and Hardware supplied the fence and Eric Wallace completed the tiling.

“For these guys at Northparkes to have donated their time and materials - we could have spent 10 years fundraising, so for us it’s an absolute bonus to have those guys on board; it’s fantastic,” Mr McAlister said.

Another addition to the front of school beautification project is the pram access ramp from the road, which was done by Forbes Shire Council.

Forbes North Public School P and C have been working with council and the RMS to improve the traffic and pedestrian environment around the school community.

“The establishment of this access ramp supports our goal of a safer, inclusive and welcoming environment and is gratefully appreciated,” P and C president De Barter said.

“The committee looks forward to continuing to work with Forbes Shire Council on future works.”

Council will also be repairing some of the footpaths around the school.

In the last two years, the P and C has also built a new bus shelter for the school.

This project was led by Andrew Barnard and a great team of dads and mums who helped to build and install the shelter.

The P and C would like to thank Andrew as well as Danny Bilsborough, Guy Webb, Peter Barter, Glen and Bec Brinkley, Justin Walker and Phil Greenhill.

The P and C would also like to thank everyone who contributed to the beautification project including Russell Constable and Northparkes Mines, Mick Brookes and FPR Civil, FNPS Friday mums group, Bunnings, Forbes Rotary Club, Forbes Lions Club, Haley’s Steel, Eric Wallace, Tim Redfern, year six classes of 2013/15, Laurinda, Mary and Geoff Fox, Hayley Hurford, Tricia Greenhill, Justin Walker and Mrs Nixon and all who supported their fundraising efforts.

Mr McAlister said the whole beautification project has made the school so much more aesthetically pleasing.

“It was a lot of input from a lot of people and a lot of work done by a lot of people,” he said.

Forbes North P and C Association is now fundraising towards an improved technology plan and system for the school to support students’ capacity to learn through the use of technology and to increase their knowledge and understanding of technology in the 21st century.