School working to replace gym after £15,000 shortfall
A WEARDALE school will lose its gym equipment after it failed to find the £15,000 to fund it.The Legacy Gym Project was installed at Wolsingham School and Community College two years ago on the agreement equipment would be theirs to keep if set up costs were repaid in 12 months.
Equipment was loaned by Wear Valley District Council to the school as a spin off to the Wellness on Wheels project with financial support from Sport England.
The school has struggled to find funding, and headteacher Andrea Crawshaw said she is very disappointed to lose it but changes in funding systems were to blame. Mrs Crawshaw said: “We are very sad to lose the equipment but we just haven’t been able to find the proper funding. It is disappointing but we are vigorously pursuing other avenues to find new equipment that is more suitable for the school that can be used to benefit everybody in the area.”
Despite receiving help to find funds and two six-month extensions, the school has been unable to raise the funds. A spokesman from the council said: “The school is aware that this project receives external funding so it isn’t possible to roll this out any longer.
“The Legacy scheme was set up as a series of pilot projects and the council and Sport England were very aware that if things didn’t work in one particular location then the equipment would be handed back and we would try again in another place.
“The gym has proved very popular in Wolsingham and we recognise it is a valued facility there so we will make every effort to ensure another legacy site is set up within lower Weardale.”
The Wellness on Wheels mobile trailer will be moved to lower Weardale in the meantime while plans are put in place for another legacy gym to be set up in the dale and a suitable site is currently being sought.
