On Thursday 22nd June, the newly completed Salesian School Sports Hall was officially opened by multi Olympic, World and European Champion Sir Mo Farah, CBE with over 200 students, parents including British journalist and broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire, staff and construction team members in attendance.
Sir Mo Farah’s visit to Salesian included him taking part in a Q&A, responding to questions posed by the students. He talked about his faith, his pre-race superstitions, his love of football, discrimination and his experiences in ‘I’m a Celebrity’.
The Sports Hall has been officially named the Eric Doherty and Peter O’Brien Sports Hall. Eric served as Deputy Headteacher at Salesian for 20 years and in the Physical Education Department, a subject area he still supports today, long after his retirement. Peter was a parent, then Governor, before becoming School Business Manager and Chair of Xavier Catholic Education Trust. He drove the project financially, sharing the vision of the then Headteacher James Kibble.
Headteacher, Paul Gower, said that ‘it is a wonderful moment for the whole school community. Two years ago, the school possessed no useable playing fields and a single badminton court size gymnasium. As a result of fundraising and careful planning we now find ourselves with new school fields across the road and this wonderful Sports Hall, both of which will deliver sporting opportunities to the students at Salesian school for years to come’.
Today the new sports hall, situated between the current gym and artificial pitch, creates a sports hub for the campus. Facilities include a first-floor hospitality space with viewing terrace, reception, office, fitness suite, changing rooms, storage areas and a circulation space which also provides an internal link to another school building.
Attending and representing the construction team was Richard Wilkinson of Lytle Associates; Peter Greenaway and Tanja Clark of MCS.
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