We are pleased to announce that the funds for the new George Abbot School gym have now been raised.
After two terms of PTA fundraising including two quiz nights, the Christmas Fair, a school uniform sale and the Clandon Park Run, the £20,000 target set by the PE department has now been achieved. The majority of the funding – £12,000 – was raised by the Clandon Park Run which is now in its 12th year. Many thanks to all of you who supported these events – each and every one of you has helped to make this project a reality for the students.
“This will be an amazing facility for the whole school community with around 1200 students benefiting in any year” Josh Clayman, Assistant Head/PE explained. “The new-look space will encourage healthy lifestyles for our students, enabling us to accommodate a full class for PE lessons, unlike our existing facility which is cramped and out-dated and where some of the equipment is no longer working”.
The department is looking to complete a full structural design for the new facility to make a fitness suite with increased space and new equipment including a treadmill, bike, a rower and free weights. This will be much like a commercial gym and the potential to raise revenue externally is being considered through evening hire. This would provide additional benefit to the local community as has been possible with the all-weather pitch. The work will be completed during the summer break and the facility will be ready during the 2018/19 academic year.
The funds provided by the PTA will enable the majority of the structural and decorative works to be completed, with an additional contribution from the School’s capital budget. The focus now is on upgrading all the equipment, ensuring it is fit for purpose and accessible to a wide range of users. The students have decided that the proceeds of the annual sponsored walk, which takes place in June during Activities Week, will be put towards new equipment, and bids have also been submitted to Trusts and Foundations to help with this final push. If there are any parents in a position to either donate equipment or help source it at favourable rates then the PE department would love to hear from you.
The money was handed over to Kate Carriett, Headteacher and a very excited PE Department on Tuesday 22 May, who are very much looking forward to viewing and testing the new facility in the autumn!