I'VE been to school to learn with delight that our teachers are eager to give something back to the community in a world where education heads the political agenda as the most important issue facing the nation.

My guide was Neil Hunter, 51, head teacher of Blatchington Mill School in Hove, one of the biggest comprehensives in this area with 1,500 pupils and a staff of more than 90.

He seized the opportunity to invite Argus readers to support a novel plan to convert a school assembly hall into a modern theatre with balcony, gallery and orchestra pit, seating some 400 people.

"Something that is desperately needed," Neil says. "It would enrich the school and the local community."

The head spotted enormous interest locally in the arts, especially by amateur groups, but a desperate shortage of performing space, something that affects his own highly successful music and drama groups.

How to get £350,000 to fund the theatre project, that is the question.

Neil is considering applying for specialist school status as an arts college, which would produce £500,000 capital over three years - but there's a catch.

To qualify, Blatchington Mill must raise £100,000 itself through sponsorship and private support.

"It's a good deal," says Neil, "£100,000 for £400,000. A living theatre would move the whole community forward.

"We would share our facilities and expertise with local primary schools and music and drama groups. Local business could also use the theatre, perhaps as a conference centre.

"I know money is tight but £5,000 each from 20 local businesses would solve all our problems, though we're open to all offers. Perhaps your readers can help."

Neil has been a teacher for nearly 30 years. These days as head he embraces the roles of managing director, counsellor, personnel officer, budget controller and fund-raiser. The school has an annual turnover of £3.5 million.

Blatchington Mill covers the entire spectrum of education up to the age of 19 and most pupils go on to college or university. Maths, English, science and a foreign language are mandatory.

School uniform is compulsory and the dress code rigidly observed. Discipline is of the highest order.

There are rarely more than two expulsions a year, normally for disruption.

Relations with parents and the school governors are excellent and Neil has no problem with the controversial issue of Government league tables and school inspections.

The school has always shown good results.

Neil is a great enthusiast for education and Blatchington Mill. "Nobody has a better job than mine," he says. "Every day is different and exciting. It's enriching to work with children and their parents and a privilege to be here."

All he needs to make life complete is £100,000. How about it Mr Hoogstraten? Call 001273 736244.

A VERY RELAXED KIND OF ROYAL

MY WORD, look out, Prince Andrew is descending on me. "Are you taking notes?" he booms. Yessir, 'fraid so. It's in the blood.

We're at St James' Palace for an NSPCC reception and Himself is afraid I might spill the beans and reveal what he is telling the assembled guests.

Ican disclose he is throwing his considerable weight behind Britain's major charity, and that's good news for children who suffer abuse and neglect.

Andrew explained the society wanted to introduce a younger element, someone like him with children growing up. Ifind Andrew the most engaging of the Royals, totally relaxed and interested in everyone.

So what was the big secret? I daren't tell, but look out for Cilla Black making a most important announcement from the stage of the Theatre Royal in London next Monday.

DUSTY'S NEEDLESS FEAR

MMY WIFE'S good friend Lee Everett-Alkin, former partner of Billy Fury and Kenny Everett, nursed Dusty Springfield in her final months and tells us she has inherited Dusty's favourite moggie, Nicholas.

He arrived with a suite of furniture, Persian carpet and even a cat tree with a little house built into the branches. He frequently looks down on the rest of the household from a perch touching the ceiling.

Dusty bought Nicholas homeafter years of self-exile in California, where she found some kind of relief from the anxieties about her sexuality that plagued so much of her life.

Sad, isn't it, how the greatest rock singer of our time was terrified of being outed as a lesbian when really it didn't matter a damn?

Like many a lonely star, Dusty was obsessive about animal rights and often had half-a-dozen stray moggies wandering about her house. No doubt Nicholas looked down on them with utter disdain.

BY GUM, IT WAS HARD BUT i WON

OF all the questions people fire at me about the ups and downs of life, the one that comes back again and again is - how did you give up smoking?

With great difficulty, I always say. Whenever anyone suggested my health must be much improved, my answer was always: "Rubbish! I've never felt worse."

It shames me to admit I was proud to have started smoking at the age of seven by pinching fags from slot machines and was still smoking half-a-century later. My mother chain-smoked until she was 80.

All good knockabout stuff, but smoking is a serious matter. For all theanti-smoking propaganda, more than 2,000 children start every week in Britain, about the same number who die of smoking-related diseases.

Even more disturbing is the revelation that more and more young girls are picking up the noxious weed. One in three 15-year-old girls smoke, though in theory they're too young to buy cigarettes.

My three sons and daughter don't smoke. Could that be because I told them it was OK to start since I'd been at it all my life and couldn't stop them?

So - how to stop. One day at a time, with loads of support from friends andrelatives - preferably previous smokers - telling you how well you're doing. Use nicotine chewing gum or patches to get over the first difficult period.

Iwas on the gum for over a year and then spent two years chewing ordinary sugar-free gum. Well into my fifties, I was walking the streets like a bobbysoxer - chew, chew, chew. Then someone said I might as well chew a lump of rubber and that did the trick. I stopped there and then.

Three years! Awful, isn't it? But it was worth it for a hundred reasons. not least that we don't wake up coughing in a house with walls stained yellow by nicotine fumes. Give up today!

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.