School meets cash target

COMEDIAN Harry Enfield is among those who have helped Priory School to raise the cash necessary to allow it to apply to become a specialist school arts college .

The Lewes school has met the Government deadline of October 5 and its bid has been accepted into this year s competition.

The last week or so has been quite tense, said Siobhan Denning, deputy headteacher in charge of the application.

The bid itself has been ready for some time. However, the Government will not accept any application unless it is supported by 50,000 in sponsorship, which has to be raised by the school.

Right up until the last moment, we were unsure about whether we d make the target the relief when we knew that we had was enormous.

The money raised by the school will go towards the building of a new performing arts centre and will be increased by a further 100,000 from the Government, should the bid be successful.

Although the performing arts centre will be on the school site, it will be for dual use by the school and the local community, and will eventually form part of a larger arts complex with the Lewes Tertiary College Lottery funding permitting.

Sponsors of the school s project include Philcox Builders, TS Professional Audio of Hove, Chandlers Building Supplies, Paul Myles of PM Structures, ICL, Roche Diagnostics, Owen-Williams, the Mettyear Trust, the Priory School Chapel Trustees, the Lewes Barbican Rotary Club and the Technology Colleges Trust.

Individuals have also been very generous, including Sussex-born Harry Enfield, who heard of the school s appeal, Duncan Greenland (an old boy of the school), and local well-wisher Dr. J.D. Edwards. Parents and governors of the school also succeeded in raising a considerable amount.

What tipped the balance for us was hearing at the very last moment that two substantial sponsorship pledges had come through, including a very generous donation from the Southover Manor Trust, Siobhan continued.

In the end, we succeeded in raising more than 77,000, so we ve exceeded the Government target.

Said Martyn Ofield, headteacher: Raising so much money in just six months represents incredible support for Priory School and I m very grateful to all those individuals, companies and parents who donated something toward the appeal however small.

I d like to reiterate my thanks to everyone who gave money or who supported us in many other ways. This includes Lewes District Council, Lewes Town Council, Lewes Chamber of Commerce and Sussex Enterprise and many, many more!

However, Priory School is not counting its chickens before they re hatched. The bid is now with the Department of Education and Skills along with about 400 others. Results are not declared until January 2002.