Linfield captain ‘blown away’ by new school library

He has won it all in football as captain of Linfield, but a new library in Millisle Primary School had Jamie Mulgrew almost lost for words.

“I’m just blown away by it,” he told BBC News NI. “It’s going to make such a massive difference to the children”.

Millisle Primary’s library is a bit special though.

The County Down seaside village is famous for its caravan parks – and that brought opportunity when one of them gifted the school a caravan that was due to go up for sale.

Parents and staff got to work transforming it into what is now called the Windmill Library, named after one of the village’s landmarks.

With 240 pupils, the school struggles for space.

Principal Ian McManus said they previously had no room for a library.

“Our previous library was just a number of shelves in the computer suite, so it was awkward in terms of children getting to borrow books,” he said.

“We have a caravan, which is synonymous with the village already, (and) everybody thought it would be a great idea to convert the caravan into a library.”

He said parents had “sacrificed their time, money, effort” to fundraise to create the library.

“We brought in tradespeople who we knew would do a really good job and I think we have the perfect finish,” he added.

“Research globally shows that children who read for fun at 10 years old go on to have better results at 16.

“We want to be a school that imparts that for life for our children, so we throw everything at it.”

Education Minister Paul Givan came to the school to officially open the Windmill Library, and he was impressed.

“All of the evidence shows that if you get engaged in reading in your early years it massively impacts on your academic performance throughout the rest of your education,” he said.

“Financially, school budgets are under pressure but what they’ve been able to do here through their own initiative I think is something to be commended.”

Pupils 10-year-old Preston and 10-year-old Julia got their first glimpse inside the Windmill Library.

“I think it’s really good and I love it,” Julia said.

“It’s very good, and gives all the younger people and older people a chance to read in silence,” Preston said.

Preston’s favourite author is Anthony Horowitz.

“All his books are action packed, and I like action,” he added.

Julia, meanwhile, is a fan of David Walliams and enjoys reading.

“It keeps your mind motivated and I think it’s really fun and it helps you with your imagination,” she said.

Jamie Mulgrew has been taking time out to encourage pupils at the school to read for a number of years.

Millisle has a “Books and Boots” scheme.

Pupils who meet reading targets get a weekly session working on their football skills with the former Northern Ireland international.

“The difference that this programme has made to the children has been absolutely fantastic,” Mulgrew said.

However he admits he was a reluctant reader at school.

“I’ve three children myself and now I see the difference that it can make and the importance of it,” he told BBC News NI.

“It’s something I try and instil into my children and I suppose learn from the mistakes I made.”