A PRIMARY school has raised more than double the £10,000 needed to save its swimming pool following a campaign by News Shopper.

In October, News Shopper launched an appeal to raise £10,000 to fund urgently needed repairs to the outdoor swimming pool at Midfield Primary School in Grovelands Road, St Paul’s Cray.

By the middle of last week, £9,100 had been raised and the school was hoping to reach the target by the end of the spring term.

But then three huge donations came in which saw the school smash through the £10,000 target to a total of £26,600, which will allow a complete transformation of the swimming facilities.

Children’s charity Wooden Spoon donated £12,500, Bromley Council’s Bromley Behaviour Service donated £5,000, and building company Mears Group has offered to refurbish the changing rooms for free.

Around 250 Midfield pupils used the pool, and headteacher Wendy Seeley said: “The children are absolutely thrilled that the pool is going to be saved.

“We have received many kind donations from local businesses and residents, some of which have been sent anonymously. We are so grateful for each and every gift.

“We are now going to have swimming facilities which will endure for years and be used by many pupils. This has been a success story beyond our wildest dreams.”

Mrs Seeley also thanked News Shopper, saying “The publicity News Shopper has given us every week has made a huge difference by raising awareness of the campaign.”

Work is expected to take place during the Easter holiday, with a grand re-opening pencilled in for June.

During the fundraising campaign, double Olympic gold medalist swimmer Rebecca Adlington donated signed swimming memorabilia for auction.

Pupils and staff raised money through a variety of events, including designing their own ‘save our swimming pool’ logo and putting it on bags, which were sold at the Tesco supermarket in Orpington.

The fundraising campaign was spearheaded by school office manager Vicky Sutherland, who was a pupil at the school when the pool opened in 1963.

She said: “Because I am an ex pupil, I have always been determined to save the pool, but I did not think we would receive the amount we have.

“The children were involved in the campaign all the way through, and this campaign has shown how a community can rally together to achieve something brilliant.”

The refurbishment

The £9,100 raised will be spent on the urgent repairs to the swimming pool liner, part of the new filtration system and two new external doors.

Wooden Spoon’s donation will pay for a total refurbishment of the pump room, a new pool cover, canopy and new paving for the pool surround.

Students from the pupil referral unit of Bromley Behaviour Service, which supports troubled young people, will also use the pool, and its £5,000 donation will be used for maintenance.

Mears Group’s refurbishment of the changing rooms will include new windows and lighting, a new ceiling, and repairs to brickwork and redecoration.