CARDENDEN Primary School are hoping your vote will get them £500 to fund more “interesting and exciting trips”.

The parent council has been shortlisted for a grant from the Skipton Building Society Grassroots Giving – and it’s the public who decides who gets the cash.

The society is giving 165 organisations the chance to receive a £500 pot to help local communities with voting open until October 12.

In their submission, Lynsey Scott, secretary of Cardenden Primary Parent Council, said: “The grant will enable the school to take the children on more interesting and exciting trips linked to their learning as they will not be restricted by prohibitive costs.

“It will help pupils across the school (approximately 185 kids) and will take pressure off parents, many of whom are not able to afford costs of school trips.

“It will also give the children memories and allow them all to share the same experiences rather than some being able to participate and others not, depending on their circumstances.”

The parent council is made up of 10-12 parents and carers who provide feedback on the school and funding for activities outwith the curriculum.

Lynsey told the Times: “What they find difficult, when they’re organising school trips, are the bus costs.

“It’s a lot of money.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re going to Lochore Meadows or Bannockburn, it’s hundreds of pounds.

“The last couple of years we’ve managed to fund each class – there are eight classes – £100 to go on a trip.

“But we thought if we could get this grant from Skipton, it would really help and the money we raise could go towards other things that the school needs.”

She added: “We normally have two or three fundraisers a year, beetle drives, bingo and cinema nights, we do teas and coffees at any events, we had a stall and tombola at the village fair, it tends to be £200-300 here and there.

“We’ve also got a bake-off event for Macmillan and a Hallowe’en event, there are lots of things happening.

“It’s helped us fund different equipment in the playground, we put money towards the trim trail and helped buy waterproof clothing for outdoor learning, the money from Skipton would allow us to do more.

“We’re hoping the community will get behind us and vote. It’s just an email address, it’s not a marketing tool so you don’t get anything from them, so it’s purely a vote.”

You can vote for the school at skiptongrg.co.uk/apply-for-funding/2018-shortlisted-groups/scotland/cardenden-primary-parent-council/