'Perfect tribute' to Dora, five, as school's new library opens

A "MAGICAL and enchanting" library has been opened at a school in memory of a five-year-old pupil.

Staff at Ashbrook Infant School say the brightly-coloured room is the "perfect" tribute to Dora Brittain, who died suddenly in January from a bacterial infection.

Above, Harry Blaney, four, and Erin Blaney, seven, in the reading tunnel. Right, Dora's family, Ashley Brittain, Eddie, two, Joey, five, and Cathy under an olive tree in the library. Dora loved olives.
Dora's photograph hangs in the library.

The purpose of the children's library is to allow Dora's imagination and love of stories to live on.

In recent months, her parents, Cathy and Ashley, have worked closely with the Borrowash school to convert the space into "Dora's Library".

It has more than 1,000 books and includes a story tree, reading tunnel and tent. A picture frame containing photos of Dora hangs on a wall, while on the other side of the room pupils have written their memories of her.

Small touches like a tiny door exclusively for pupils has made it a space that has already proved popular.

More than £20,000 was raised for the project through donations, sponsored challenges, a children's party and by Dora's parents hand-painting and selling personalised name plaques.

Now it has opened, Cathy, 35, said: "We've transformed a tired room into a beautiful library. I'm glad we can now share it with the children.

"Their reaction to it has been amazing."

Cathy said the library would be a place where Dora's brother, Joey, five, would be able to go to remember his sister. She said: "Joey loves it, especially the tent. It's his own special place."

The school, in Victoria Avenue, has not previously had a library.

Head teacher Angela Clarke said she was thrilled that was no longer the case.

She said: "It's amazing – we are so grateful to Cathy and Ashley. We would never have been able to provide a resource like this without their help.

"There's a great variety of books and we've got the large computer screen with the internet so we can also use this space for learning."

Mrs Clarke said the library was "a really lovely way" to remember Dora. She said: "It's a perfect tribute because of her love of stories and imagination. She would have been so happy in a library such as this."

Parent Karen Ward, whose seven-year-old daughter, Emily, was in the same class as Dora, said of the library: "It's absolutely gorgeous. It's a wonderful space for the children to use."