Monkeying around in Uplands for local school

THE Monkeys of Uplands School were let loose for the fourth consecutive year over the weekend of July 8 and 9, 2017 and monkey hunters went out on the trail to find them and be in with a chance of winning the top prize, tickets to West Midlands Safari Park.

The Monkey Trail, along with Saturday’s Uplands School Summer Sizzle, combined to raise over £2,300 which will be used by the school to provide a new low sensory area for the children, incorporating additional playground shade.

There were two trails around the streets of Uplands, the ‘Orangutan’ and ‘Silverback’ trails, as well as the ‘Chimp’ trail in Uplands Playgroup’s playground, for toddler-trailers – all of whom were rewarded with a chocolate monkey lolly.

All kinds of cuddly monkeys were hidden along the trails and many of the monkeys were sponsored by local firms and individuals or families.

Uplands School PTA also held their annual Summer Sizzle over the weekend where families had a great afternoon being entertained by the children whilst enjoying barbecue food, Winstones ice cream and strawberries; and trying their hand at various stalls and activities including ‘hook a duck’, ‘throw a pot’, football games, tombolas and drenching staff members in the stocks!

“Everyone had a great time taking part in the Monkey Trail and at the Summer Sizzle” said PTA chair and organiser Linda McNee, “Some of the monkeys were hidden and tricky to find – others were huge and in character: we had a monkey celebrating Forest Green Rovers’ recent successes, a pirate monkey, and the soaring temperatures over the weekend brought out lots of sunbathing monkeys!”

“We’re really grateful to all our sponsors for supporting the Monkey Trail” added fellow organiser Emily Willsher, “especially the main sponsor of the event, legal firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys and to Lansdown Motors for sponsoring the Summer Sizzle.”