CHILDREN have been sending in handwritten letters to ask for new sports equipment as part of the Oxford Mail’s Olympic Save Our Schools competition.

The Oxford Mail has teamed up with Abingdon-based construction company Leadbitter for a second year running to offer one lucky Oxfordshire primary school the chance to win up to £7,500 in improvements or refurbishments.

This year, the contest has an Olympic theme and organisers are hoping to hear from schools which can use the money to make a real difference to their sporting provision and inspire youngsters to become the athletes of the future.

This could be anything from revamping a sports area to new tennis nets.

We have extended the deadline for entries but schools now have just a week to come forward with plans for how they would spend the money.

Newspaper sales manager Margaret Marsh said: “When you read some of the letters coming through from schools, it is clear just how much these children want these improvements.

“There are some really exciting ideas coming through – but we still want to hear from more of you.

“This is such a good opportunity to provide some of those little extras that school budgets don’t cater for.”

Richard Nixon, regional manager for Leadbitter, added: “The children have put some effort into explaining their ideas which will make it easier for us to judge, and I would encourage everybody if they haven’t already applied to do so.

“I want to hear something that’s got a little bit of thought behind it, is realistic and a bit exciting for everybody.

“We do building every day, so it would be nice to do something that’s exciting for us as well something that everybody can get behind."

The deadline for applications is Monday, June 14, and the top 10 schemes will be selected by judges on Wednesday, June 16.

Each entry needs to explain in detail how the project will benefit the school, and the wider community, and how it will be sustainable.

The schemes must not need planning permission or building regulations.

When the 10 finalists have been selected, each will be profiled in the Oxford Mail along with special SOS School Olympic vouchers.

The race will then be on to collect as many tokens as possible.

Last year’s winners, North Kidlington Primary School, collected thousands of tokens and the school is now making use of a new bird hide.

And because Eynsham Primary School were neck and neck with the winners throughout the contest, Leadbitter also carried out improvements to their swimming pool.

This year, to make the competition fairer to smaller schools, tokens will be mathematically weighted according to how many pupils there are in the school.