A NEW games area is open and ready for use at Friends’ School as work continues on upgrading its facilities.

Sarah Craven from the Sir James Reckitt Charity, whose donation has allowed the building of the year-round floodlit sports facility, visited Friends’ to officially open it.

A team of Year 6 pupils from Friends’ Junior School played five a-side football against Year 7 followed by Sarah Craven turning on the lights.

As part of the opening celebrations, Great Easton Primary School, along with pupils from the junior school, attended a coaching session with Friends’ specialist sports teachers and a number of the school’s county hockey players on the new surface.

Headteacher Graham Wigley said: “We are thrilled to have a new outdoor sports area which our pupils will be able to utilise throughout the coming winter months.

“With its excellent floodlighting the facility is proving very popular with both junior and senior school pupils during after school training sessions. We are most grateful to the Sir James Reckitt Charity for helping fund the new pitch.”