A Telford school has received a cash boost towards a new outdoor shelter after being named as one of the first winners of a new £1m campaign.

Newdale Primary School has scooped £1,000 as one of the first regional champions of Persimmon Homes’ Building Futures programme in partnership with Team GB, the British Olympic Association.

Persimmon Homes West Midlands has a strong presence locally, with its Newdale Valley development at Lawley Village, and feels it is important to support the local community.

The school plans to develop an outdoor classroom structure to help its pupils and two other local schools for pupils with special educational needs.

John Griffiths, from the school, said: “We are thrilled to be chosen as one of the first Building Futures winners.

“We have recently developed a piece of overgrown land at the front of our school into an outdoor learning environment. It has a climbing frame, den and hammocks where children develop their independence.

“Persimmon’s generous funding will take the outdoor space to the next level, helping us to install a new outdoor shelter.”

Persimmon Homes is dishing out £32,000 a month across its 32 regional operating areas, aiming to support groups which work with under-18s across three categories: sports, education and arts, and health.

Later in the year, three initiatives which top a public vote will win £100,000 each, while there will be a £50,000 second prize and a £20,000 third prize in each category, and a further 87 shortlisted projects will each receive £5,000.

Amanda Rogers, head of sales for Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to be able to launch our new Building Futures campaign, which will give opportunities to so many youngsters in the community.

“Supporting the regions in which we build is of vital importance to us – and Newdale Primary School is an example of that. We hope our funding will take their outdoor learning environment from strength to strength.”