Last push to pay for £2m sports hall
A top Lancashire school has launched a last-minute drive to raise the "final coppers" for its multi-million-pound sports hall.
Garstang Community High has raised more than 2.2m over the past 10 months and is just 1% shy of its target.
Delighted headteacher Phil Birch said people from all areas of the community have rallied round since the appeal was launched last autumn.
He said: "We have now got 99% of the funding and are just 1% short of our community appeal and I am confident that we will get it.
"It is very exciting and it is now going to happen.
''We anticipate building starting in the new year, then expect the sports hall to be in use a year later.
"This coincides with the drainage of the fields, which will take place from spring onwards."
The proposals already have planning permission and there have been no objections from the community.
In fact, Mr Birch said the town's people had been extremely supportive of a plan which has been on the cards for more than 20 years.
The school has no designated sports hall and the new flagship centre, which will bring school facilities into the 21st Century, will also provide much needed community provision.
On occasions, classes have had to double up in the gym or take PE theory lessons.
Mr Birch said that since the school was built in the 1960s it had been transformed, with a host of refurbishment and extensions in almost every area except sport.
From an original roll of just 200, the school now boasts 750 pupils and state-of-the art teaching facilities. Mr Birch added: " Our kids love sport and are very successful. I don't know how they do it."
The 30 square metre hall will be built on unused land at the school and will include four badminton courts, changing rooms and hopefully a fitness area.
It will be available for public use outside school hours.
Most of the funding has been provided via the county council with the school raising a contribution.
Mr Birch is now making a final push by encouraging people to "buy a brick."
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 24 May 2012
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Temperature: 14 C to 20 C
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