A NORTH Yorkshire village school has been chosen as one of only five across Britain to benefit from an imaginative scheme providing brand new libraries to welcome in the 21st century.

NEW LEAF: Nicholas Green, aged four, and chums celebrate news of the cash for a new library at Husthwaite Primary School.

Husthwaite Church of England Primary School, near Easingwold, has been selected for the honour because the benefactor behind the scheme, Sir Christopher Ball, was evacuated to Husthwaite during the Second World War. Sir Christopher, an academic with a life-long professional interest in education, has selected the five schools across the country to represent differing types of establishment - others include an inner-city primary and a remote school in the Welsh hills.

Two thirds of the funding for the libraries will come from his Esme Fairbairn Trust, while the local communities are being encouraged to join in the project by raising the final third.

Caroline Patmore, the chairman of Husthwaite School's governors says: "We've drawn up very exciting plans for this library.

"The aim is that this will be a resource not only for the school but also for the village as a whole. The plan is to build the library behind the school - into the hillside - and we would like a mezzanine area for the teaching space, a conversation pit for the children and an IT area for computers." The Friends of Husthwaite School, who celebrate their silver anniversary this year, have organised a fundraising open day at the end of the month in the gardens of the White House, opposite the 12th century village church.

Chairman Kate Green said: "These beautiful gardens have attracted thousands of visitors when they have been open previously under the National Gardens Scheme. "We're looking to raise around £30,000 over all, and the aim is to have the library in operation by 2001."

She said the White House garden reflected Husthwaite's history as an orchard village, with mature damson, plum and pear trees.

There were also several unusual varieties bound to be of interest to the keen plantsman such as the Chilean azara dentata in the south-facing garden, which is divided into formal and informal sections.

It will be open on Sunday, May 30, between 11am and 5pm.

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