Cockapoo 'Mr Wilko' joins staff at Shropshire school
Mr Wilko has joined the ranks at a school near Oswestry – but instead of being paid in pounds and pence he's accepting dog biscuits.
For the newest member of staff at St Martins School has four legs and a very waggy tail.
The cockapoo puppy will become a therapy and reading companion at the school, and staff are sure that he will be an asset for all ages, from the very young to those studying for their exams.
Oswestry company Aico has donated £1,200 towards the cost of caring for Mr Wilko as part of its community support work.
Head of the school, Sue Lovecy, said that the puppy had already become a firm favourite both with the pupils and the staff.
"Mr Wilko has already made his presence known," she said.
"All the children know him and often at break times you will see some of our older students taking him outside for a walk.
"As he gets older and becomes more settled with the school environment he will have his own timetable of classes to support."
She said having a canine companion in a school was a tried and tested education method as well as being a great help in pastoral care.
"It helps children gain confidence in building their vocabulary and fluency by reading to a dog," she said.
"The use of therapy dogs can help to alleviate anxiety and stress that children can experience and struggle with at times in an educational setting."
Aico, specialist in home life safety, pioneering new technologies and offering high quality alarms set up ‘Aico in the Community’ to provide support in building sustainable futures in the area.
Lily Ellis, community liaison at Aico as well as a governor and enterprise adviser for St Martins School, said: “Aico’s charity focus for 2021 was ‘Support for Children’ with an aim to focus on our county of Shropshire, so this initiative was a perfect fit. It’s great to see the impact Mr Wilko is already making on the students as well as the school as a whole. It’s clear that he will be a huge asset in the high-quality care that St Martins already provide."
Mrs Lovecy said she was absolutely delighted that Aico had given a very generous donation to school to cover his costs.
