Arts centre open

The centre has already been open for a year, but the official opening was held on Saturday as part of a series of events at Boundstone for the Adur Festival.

BOUNDSTONE Community Colege's performing arts centre was officially opened on Saturday by West Sussex County Council chairman Margaret Johnson.

Mrs Johnson cut the ribbon to the new centre with former pupil turned international mime artist, David Glass, and local fundraiser and member of the Boundstone Chorus, Frances Sallis.

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Declaring the building officially open, the county council chairman said: "Everybody who knows me knows I am a fan of Boundstone. I'm a great admirer of this school, so I am honoured to be taking part in this celebration today."

Headteacher Richard Evea added: "It's a fantastic day to celebrate opening such a wonderful building. It's a building that owes everything to the community and we will work very hard to give something back to them."

Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood opened a memorial to Boundstone's former head of drama, Alan Strong, later in the afternoon.

Mr Strong, whose ashes are buried underneath the centre, was an old friend of the famous fashion designer.

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Mike Brayshaw, a former colleague of Mr Strong explained: "After leaving Boundstone, Alan did some theatre work while living in Paris for, I think three years, and then returned to London, working as an exceptionally effect head of special needs in a school in Croydon.

"His theatrical involvement, and indeed flourished, and in particular he became involved with some of Vivienne's fashion shows, directing them in New York and Milan, and taking sessions at Vivienne's model school in Berlin."

Several former students returned to Boundstone on Saturday for the celebration, including Pop Idol contestant Chris Hide, comedy scriptwriter Robin Driscoll and David Roper from Four Poofs and a Piano.

On Thursday evening there was a concert to celebrate the 60th birthday of Aedan Kerney, the director of performing arts and on Friday there was a 12 hour performathon.

Over the weekend there was also performances by the Boundstone Community Band, the Horsham Band and the Boundstone Chorus.