School staff who discovered seven mystery boxes on their doorstep had a pleasant surprise when they opened them – finding 160 dressing up costumes.
The delivery arrived just in time for World Book Day at Firs Primary School, on Raven Street – part of the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT) – and completely transformed the day for the pupils.
The parcel contained outfits from dinosaurs to detectives and turned out to be a generous donation from Parent Kind and Rubies Masquerade, which donated 100,000 costumes to schools across the country.
Headteacher Paula Martin said: “When the boxes arrived, we had no idea what to expect, there wasn’t even a delivery note to say who they were from or who they were for.
“We contacted the company printed on the box, and that’s when we found out we had won a competition we didn’t even know we’d entered. It turns out a parent and staff member had entered us after seeing it on Facebook.
“The costumes arrived just in time for World Book Day, completely transforming the day for our pupils. The children loved taking turns picking out costumes to wear, and it brought so much excitement.”
The box contained a variety of costumes, including Batman, butterfly outfits, Star Wars characters, as well as historical figures and Tudor costumes.
The school has now set up a special area in the playground where the children can use the costumes during playtime,
Paula added: “The kids have loved dressing up, even trying on costumes they wouldn’t normally pick, which has really sparked their imagination. We’ve been especially pleased to see very shy children playing more confidently with their peers.
“We want to encourage parents and the community to enter us into any competitions they come across. This has meant so much to all of our pupils, and we’re incredibly grateful.”
Year 2 pupil, Charan said: “I love dressing up and I was so excited to see a Black Panther costume, he’s my favourite.
“I saw so many others though, that I can’t wait to try on and be a different person each time.
“The dress-up area is now my favourite bit of the playground, it’s so much fun.”
Dr Sarah Clark, chief executive officer of DDAT, said: “This wonderful surprise shows just how valuable entering competitions can be.
“It’s fantastic to see the children at Firs Primary so excited and engaged with the costumes, and we’re grateful for the generosity that made this possible.”
-ENDS-
This press release was distributed by Penguin PR. To find out more contact Sarah-Louise Elton on 01332 416228 or by email at sarahlouise@penguinpr.co.uk
