A BRADFORD parent says he is happy to have "spread some positivity" after he helped to build a new outdoor classroom at a school in Allerton.

It took Chris Wardman "around four months" to build the nature hut at The Academy at St James, which will be used for learning and will aim to improve pupils' well-being.

Chris, 34, is a joiner by trade. He works six days a week, with Friday his only day off - as a result, he rarely gets to spend time with his two sons, Kai and Rylan, who are both pupils at The Academy.

Chris, who is from the local area, was asked by the school if he could do "a bit of decking" for them, he says, and saw it as a chance to help out, and also as a way of getting to be around his children more.

Pupils helped Chris with the project, while Kai and Rylan were also with him "every time" he was there, he adds.

The nature reserve was unveiled by Bradford's 'celebrity doctor' Dr Amir Khan in a ceremony earlier this month, and Chris is proud of the hard work which made it all happen.

"It’s positive for the school and the children, they were so happy. It's really nice to see something positive come out of Covid, and it's worth it when you see people happy with what you've done", Chris says.

"I work 13-hour shifts and only get Fridays off, so I don't get to see my kids much. But I thought if I do this, not only would I be helping out, but I'd also get to see them.

"It was good to get involved with the community. The pupils helped out a lot, and my kids managed to be there with me every time.

"Working one day a week, every week, it took around four months. The materials didn't get dropped off near the build, so carrying them every day, on my own, was the biggest challenge - I was doing 30,000 steps a day."

Chris also said the school was full of "positive vibes", adding: "Every day I saw kids smiling, having fun and asking questions. The staff were always smiling too, there was no negativity.

"One teacher in particular, Mr O’Brien, is massively passionate about forest schools and teaching, and was a big help. The headteacher, Mr Chris Tolson, also really cares about the kids and making them happy. It's good to see a headteacher so passionate about his job, as the teachers all are as well.

"I also really appreciate Dr Amir Khan coming over. I'm not really a public speaker, and I didn't think I would get this much publicity. But I didn't do it for that, I did it for the school and to see my sons more.

"I'd also like to thank Lee Tordoff and Alan Daines for their help, and Manningham Concrete and Selco, too."