by Terry Bearpark
Thanks to a legacy from a former teacher, pupils at Patrington Primary Academy now have a new reading facility in a peaceful location at the school.
Heather’s Haven is a summer house dedicated to the memory of Heather McCraynor who taught at the school in the 1970s and 1980s when she was known as Mrs Pettman.
Born in Welton, she attended the local school and Hymers College and trained at Leeds Teaching College.
She taught at a school in Wembley for two years before moving to Patrington, and after her
retirement her dedication to education continued and she became a supply teacher in Burstwick and the surrounding area.
Heather never lost her love of teaching, always helping her nephew and nieces and then her great-nephew and niece.
She believed that any child should have a good education and was always ready to help in any way she could.
At last Friday’s coronation celebrations at the school, staff, pupils and parents gathered in the playground to see Heather’s husband Frank cut a ribbon to declare the reading hut open. He then presented the school with a surprise gift of £200 for the purchase of more books for Heather’s Haven.
