Children who travel from Coa, Enniskillen and Tempo to avail of the breakfast club, school nursery and after school club at Mullanaskea Education Centre got a huge surprise on their return from the summer holidays.

For awaiting them was a brand new refurbished playroom and fully kitted and secure outdoor play area featuring a garden area, sandpit, soft play area and a water play pump feature.

Mary Hallett overseen the refurbishment of the playroom facility which adjoins a quiet room, as well as supervising the installation of outdoor facilities within a walled outdoor play area.

"Mullanaskea Education Centre's recent phase of refurbishment and new developments were badly needed," Mary explained.

"Certainly, the centre's committee could not have carried out the work were it not for two much needed grants of £10,000 each from Fermanagh Local Strategy Partnership, along with a Capital Grant for outdoor play, through the Department of Education.

"Under their Children and Young Persons Programme, and the support of Helen McCormack, the FLSP's Manager, we were also able to attract additional private sector support from In House Design who donated our kitchen for the refurbished playroom." From September to June each year, the Centre has a number of part-time and full time employees. "The Mullanaskea Education Centre now in its tenth successful year of operation since the adjoining new Mullanaskea Primary School was built in 1998, is a fantastic community asset to have, and is testimony to the vision of those parents, who saw a future use for the old school premises which was originally built in 1888, some 120 years ago."