An Altrincham school is almost two-thirds of the way towards a million-pound fundraising target as it looks to build a raft of new sports facilities.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys’ campaign has hit £600,000 in its bid to raise funds for the much-needed facilities.
Led by parents and the school, the ‘Sport for All – Making a Difference’ Campaign is looking to inspire a “new generation of school and community athletes” with the all-weather facilities.
The plans include a new full-size 4G floodlit football and rugby pitch, new tennis courts, cricket nets and two new cricket squares on the school grounds.
All facilities would be available for use by the community in the evening after school hours.
Headmaster Graeme Wright said: “Our ‘Making a Difference – Sport for All’ Campaign will create facilities that can inspire pupils of every ability, allow extended community use for clubs in the Altrincham area and take the school’s tradition of sporting excellence to a new level.
“The benefits of sport are well-documented – teamwork, confidence, positive impact on mental health – but too often during the winter months our pitches are waterlogged, and lessons, training and fixtures have to be cancelled.
“As a state-funded grammar school, we lag behind a number of schools in terms of the annual funding that we receive from the Government, so this campaign is vital for the successful future of sport at our school.
“On behalf of the school and the pupils I want to pay tribute to the parents, former pupils, local businesses, and others who have already donated. It’s now vital that we push even harder to raise the extra amount needed to hit our million-pound target.”
Old Altrinchamians who have gone on to play elite-level sport include cricketer Paul Allott, rugby players Ali Crossdale and Charlie Wardle and footballer Douglas James-Taylor.
