Businesses donate furniture to South Downs schools

The furniture has been distributed to Steyning Grammar and Petworth Primary Schools through the charity Business2Schools.

Steyning Grammar is preparing to refurbish its new sixth-form site at The Towers in Upper Beeding for when it opens to students in September 2021.

The Towers ceases to be an independent school at the end of this term with the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament donating the building to Steyning Grammar School.

Sue Gearing, chairman of the governors at Steying Grammar, identified Business2Schools as a resource for equipping the school with top quality furniture and technical equipment and has been overwhelmed with the donations received.

Some of the furniture has been given to Petworth Primary and it is hoped that other local schools will benefit from future deliveries.

Sue said: “Business2Schools is providing us with furniture and equipment through their links with businesses to equip this amazing new provision.

“Much needed replacement furniture and tech for our other sites are also being donated. A massive thank you to the businesses donating to us through B2S. This model means scarce school budgets will stretch further and businesses and schools can be part of a sustainable programme that supports the need to protect our environment for future generations.”

Lindsey Parslow, Chief Executive of Business2Schools, said: “We are delighted with the progress we are making in West Sussex, re-homing furniture and re-deploying computers and laptops to schools.

“The current crisis will see offices leaning towards more agile working in the future; so it is essential that any furniture and tech they don’t need can be used to refurbish and upgrade our schools.”

MP Andrew Griffith said: “I commend the work of Lindsey and her Business2Schools charity, not least because it is saving great quality furniture from ending up in landfill, but also for the links established between business and schools.

“Steyning Grammar and Petworth Primary are the first beneficiaries of these donations in my constituency and I hope many more schools will benefit as more businesses engage with the programme.”