Lincolnshire housebuilder makes a splash with £10,000 donation to Market Rasen Church of England Primary School

Chestnut Homes has donated £10,000 to a Market Rasen primary school to help renovate its pool for swimming lessons.   

Market Rasen Church of England Primary School had been trying to raise a total of £40,000 to help breathe new life into the 15 by 20-metre pool. And, through a range of community fundraising efforts, they clocked up an impressive £30,000, with Chestnut Homes coming forward to provide the remaining funds needed to help them reach their goal.

The pool was originally built in the 1930s and until now has been funded by the local community. The money raised will go towards a range of upgrades including a new liner, sides and flooring.

Now complete, the pool will be open every year from April to October and will be available for use by Market Rasen Church of England Primary School, Nettleton Community Primary School and Market Rasen Pre-School for swimming lessons.

Helene Key, sales manager at Chestnut Homes, said: “As a housebuilder, we have worked hard to not only build homes, but also create a strong sense of community across all of our developments. Lincolnshire has so much to offer, and supporting the next generation is really important to us which is why we’re pleased we could help the school reach its fundraising goal.

“It’s been so rewarding seeing the transformation take place and knowing that once the work is complete, the pupils of Market Rasen will get to swim in a safer and more inviting environment.”

Each student at each of the schools will typically get a total of 18 swimming sessions a year, with at least 450 children using the pool each week.

Andrew Smith, Headteacher of Market Rasen Church of England Primary School and Nettleton Community Primary School, said: “The last refit of the pool was in 2014 when we added a new roof, so it’s been a long time coming for a full renovation.

“The local authority doesn’t support with upkeep so any work we’ve done to keep the pool safe and accessible is down to the generosity of the local community. We’re really thankful to Chestnut Homes for its big donation, and for helping us to give the pool a new lease of life.”