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On Tuesday 22 June, the newly built Salesian School Sports Hall was officially opened by multi Olympic, World and European Champion Sir Mo Farah CBE, with over 200 students, parents and staff in attendance. The opening of the Sports Hall was the culmination of 10 years hard work fundraising, planning and building.

Sir Mo’s visit included a Q&A session with students; he talked about his faith, pre-race superstitions, discrimination, and his experiences of reality TV programme ‘I’m a Celebrity’!

The new building has been officially named the 'Eric Doherty and Peter O’Brien Sports Hall'. Eric served as Deputy Headteacher at Salesian for 20 years and was Acting Headteacher for a year. 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:

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"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 many years to come."

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