Latest news from Sir William Romney’s School which is part of the Athelstan Trust
Paralympic gold medallist Chris Hunt Skelley MBE joined students, sports clubs and community supporters for a successful evening celebrating the first anniversary of the opening of Sir William Romney’s School’s 3G football pitch in Tetbury. Currently around 500 people use the pitch on a weekly basis from the school and community groups.
Held at the school last week (October 1) the celebration recognised the partnership and community support that helped make the facility a reality, alongside the benefits it has delivered during its first year. This is a third generation artificial pitch using recycled rubber crumb to provide cushioning and improved ball bounce.
Representatives from the school, the Athelstan Trust (the academy trust of which the school is a member), local sports organisations and community groups came together to reflect on the project and thank those who contributed to its development.
Since opening, the pitch has enhanced sporting opportunities for students, increased community use with 100s of people making use of the facility strengthened relationships with local clubs and organisations. The evening celebrated its contribution to the health and wellbeing of the local community.
A highlight was a keynote address from Wiltshire-based Paralympian Chris Hunt Skelley MBE, who won gold in the men’s under 100kg judo category at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and then took the bronze in a different weight category at Paris2024. Chris is the UK’s most successful visually impaired judoka for the last 30 years. His sporting achievements and personal journey shared a message of determination, resilience and hard work, reflecting values the school seeks to develop in its students.
Chris said: “It was such an honour to be asked to see this wonderful community facility in action and to officially ‘open’ it and see the value it has brought. These types of facilities make sports more accessible for children and adults in any area. It was fantastic to recognise and applaud those who came together to make this a reality.”
The celebration also included a football tournament involving under 11 players from local clubs, putting young people at the heart of an evening dedicated to the facility’s growing community role.
Headteacher Will Ruscoe said: “The 3G pitch has already become a hugely valuable resource for both our students and the wider community. This event provided an important opportunity to thank everyone who played a part in making the project a reality and to celebrate the positive impact it is having on participation, health, wellbeing and community engagement.”
For Sir William Romney’s School and the Athelstan Trust, the celebration marked an important milestone in their ambition to create lasting opportunities for current and future generations of young people. The school’s vision is to become a beacon of excellence in Gloucestershire and beyond, with the pitch demonstrating how investment in school facilities can benefit the wider community. To find out more about The Athelstan Trust visit https://theathelstantrust.org/
Photography: Fran Robinson
Article from Scott Media
