A CROWDFUNDING project hopes to improve a primary school’s library, to inspire pupils and become a community asset.

The aim is to raise £1,000 for South Petherwin CP School before the Crowdfunder deadline of 3pm on May 15.

Dubbed ‘The Big Library Project’, it is the brainchild of the South Petherwin Parent Teacher Association (PTA) charity.

The PTA organises fun events for the small village school of around 100 pupils, to raise money to enhance the learning experience, but this year they wanted to focus on one big project, as chair of the PTA, Andrea Roberts, explained: “Every year we run lots of different events to raise money to enhance what’s going on at the school,” — for example, in the past they have bought sports equipment and equipment for the playing field.

She added: “This year we really wanted to focus on one big project. The library is sad and unloved and doesn’t inspire children to learn. Everything we do this year will go towards it.

“We put an awful lot of time and effort into running these events and raise between £1,500 and £2,000 a year. With Crowdfunder it’s easy to set up. We thought that would be a really good idea to spread the word a bit further through the power of social media.

“People always raise money and there are always lots of good causes but I think libraries and books for children — they can be so much into YouTube and Kindles that libraries have fallen out of favour.”

The library needs new carpets, new furniture and refurbishment, and the ceiling needs repairing.

Andrea added: “[The library] is as old as the school building, it’s in dire need of some maintenance. It really needs redecorating. Some of the books are really old. My seven-year-old came home with a book about a little girl who took out dad’s camera, she came back with it and the dad said ‘I didn’t put any film in the camera!’ As nice as that is, the fact that a lot of the books are probably about 15, 20 years old, they could do with updating and replacing as well.”

Some Cornwall Councillors are also using Crowdfunder to help make their community chest funds go further, so it is hoped the council could provide some match funding if the initial £1,000 Crowdfunder is successful.

Andrea added: “We are looking to raise more with all the other events. We will do whatever we can do with the money we get.”

Anyone who pledges £10 will receive a handwritten letter of thanks from one of the pupils, and there will be a framed certificate of thanks from the children for anyone pledging £100.

The school will be holding its summer fair on Saturday, July 14, which will also raise money for the library renovation. It starts at 10am and runs until 4pm — all welcome.