Funding success


success of the fundraising effort. Fortunately, the idea of an


amphitheatre captured people’s imagination. Even at the early stage of planning permission, Hassocks Parish Council offered to put in £10,000. We also received £4,000 in grant funding from the Lewes-based Southover Manor Trust, and a further £10,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation. To this we added £20,000 from our leisure facilities contract, as we had just resurfaced the all-weather pitch and could begin the ‘sinking fund’ the following year. Our brilliant PTA (Downlands


School Association) donated a year’s worth of funds (£20,000) from their summer and Christmas fayres, and other fundraising activities. The local rotary club donated £500 and West Sussex County Council gave us £1,000. We raised £2,000 through crowdfunding and £2,000 from advertising on school folders. The local garden centre kindly


provided 30 sleeper benches for the amphitheatre at cost price and we raised additional funds by asking people to sponsor a bench. The balance was covered by


Headteacher Mark Wignall and the new amphitheatre


income raised from school improvement work and a small amount of school fund money – Gift Aid from parental contributions. With such goodwill, it took just


creating an amphitheatre, I was confident we would get the funding one way or another. My vision has always been for


our school to build on its Ofsted ‘outstanding’ status by providing a rich, holistic curriculum that inspires all students. Our curriculum offer includes on-site Forest Schools alongside a broad range of experiences, trips and activities. I came up with the idea for an


amphitheatre after visiting one to watch Romeo and Juliet in a Brighton park on a school theatre trip. The atmosphere there was brilliant, and our students came away unbelievably inspired. I realised that, with the backdrop of the South Downs, we had a wonderful site for an amphitheatre of our own. Such a facility would


have the potential to be used in many different ways, from a social space to outdoor lessons, school productions and a rehearsal venue for local amateur dramatics groups. It could also be a unique theatrical venue to hire out to touring productions and community groups, and one that would raise our profile across the region (as well as raising income through lettings). We planned for it to be an all-


weather facility that we could use all year round, and that meant costs of around £85,000. I wanted to avoid allocating funds from the school budget since this wasn’t an essential facility, so a mix of funding was needed to deliver the project. I am indebted to Nicki Burston, former PA to the senior leadership team, whose tenacious approach ensured the


over a year to get funds in place and the amphitheatre opened in July 2019. The students were very excited to use it, and from the outset there was huge buy-in from the local community. We had open-air theatre events lined up for summer 2020, which unfortunately had to be cancelled. However, the amphitheatre has provided additional outside classroom space to help us manage social distancing, and it was a great space to hold our Year 7 transition programme. Our school is growing and as a


result we are extending the catering operation to include a catering pod with picnic benches near to the amphitheatre. We’re really looking forward to making the most of this incredible venue soon.’ Mark Wignall, headteacher, Downlands Community School, Hassocks, West Sussex (1,200 pupils)


FundEd SUMMER 2021 7


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