The future of the last remaining swimming pool at a state school in Bristol has been secured after a global company with its headquarters in the city stepped in to sponsor it.
Leaders at Parson Street primary school in Bedminster had warned spiralling energy bills and other costs meant they might have to shut down the swimming pool, or at best stop teaching their pupils to swim, because of a shortfall of more than £3,000 this year.
The pool is the last facility of its kind at a state school in Bristol, and is rented out by community groups and other schools to help fund its upkeep.
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Last week, Parson Street’s PE teacher Erica Tindall appealed for support from the business community to save the pool.
She said the increasing costs meant the school would have to consider not running swimming lessons for their own pupils - already scaled back to Year 1 and Year 3 - and the entire future of the pool, which is a valuable resource to community groups and schools in South Bristol, was in doubt.
But after the BBC and Bristol Live reported on her appeal, Richard Dennys, the chief executive of global marketing company Webgains, which has its global headquarters in Old Market, stepped in and sponsored the pool.
“We are over the moon,” Ms Tindall said. “Webgains have stepped forward and are sponsoring us next year to allow our children to keep swimming in our pool.
Mr Dennys said he was happy to help. “More than delighted to help,” he said. “Our business - online marketing advertising services - is heavily focussed on learning and performance with our global HQ just up the road in Old Market.”
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