New gym in the offing after £25,000 boost

Hove Park School, which has 1,750 pupils, will build a new outdoor gym and workout rig at its Valley Campus in Nevill Road, Hove, after being given the money by Brighton-based financial services company OneFamily as part of its community awards.

Children will be able to use the new work out area during break times and PE lessons. The school hopes this will encourage more pupils to take part in sport, and help them to understand the importance of exercising regularly.

The awards are part of the OneFamily Foundation and were created to give OneFamily customers the opportunity to support projects in their area that matter to them.

This year’s awards saw customers nominating projects to win £5,000, £10,000 or £25,000 in four categories.

Hove Park School was one of 32 organisations to benefit in this latest round.

Mark Fotiadis put the school forward because his son Max, 15, is a pupil there.

PE teacher Alex Mack said: “The kids here love sport but the school’s facilities have suffered from a lack of investment over many years.

“A lot of our sports kit is old-fashioned and worn out, so this new equipment will bring the school into the 21st century. It will help us to promote the physical and psychological benefits of sport and, hopefully, encourage more students to exercise outside lessons.

“The community was amazing when we were rallying for votes and we were overwhelmed by the number of people who shared our story and voted for us.”

Headteacher Jim Roberts said “Winning this award has really demonstrated our school vision statement of Together We Achieve. The whole school community responded and got behind our bid.

“It really galvanised both parents, carers, staff and the wider community. We are excited about the benefits the outdoor gym will provide for students both now and in the future.’

Guy French, of OneFamily said: “Sport doesn’t just help young people stay healthy, it’s a vital part of their all-round education.”