Bishop Heber High School in Malpas welcomed back former student and Olympic Silver medallist, Vicky Thornley, to officially open the newly-refurbished Community Fitness Suite.

Vicky won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics this summer with Katherine Grainger in the Women’s Double Sculls and proudly showed off her medal to students, staff and governors at the school.

Bishop Heber High School has always hosted community sports facilities which until recently have been managed by Brio Leisure, the Cheshire West and Chester Leisure Community Interest Company that manages some of the best known leisure centres across Cheshire West.

Olympic silver medalist Vicky Thornley with pupils at Bishop Heber High School as she opens the newly-refurbished Community Fitness Suite
Olympic silver medalist Vicky Thornley with pupils at Bishop Heber High School as she opens the newly-refurbished Community Fitness Suite

However, the school have now taken over the management of the centre which has been renamed Heber Leisure.

Facilities include a new-look community fitness suite which was fully refurbished at the beginning of September, with a fantastic range of new fitness equipment installed to help people achieve their fitness goals.

The sports facilities available also include an all-weather pitch, sports hall and tennis courts which can all be used by the community during evenings and weekends.

Heber Leisure will play a greater role in community activities and new outreach initiatives designed to boost the wellbeing of the local people, particularly residents who currently are unable to use the sports centre.

Brio Leisure will be on hand to offer advice and guidance on the wider community focused programmes.

Headteacher, David Curry, thanked Vicky on behalf of the Governors and added: “We are all proud of what the British Olympians achieved in Rio this summer.

Olympic silver medalist Vicky Thornley with Bishop Heber High School headteacher David Curry as she opens the newly-refurbished Community Fitness Suite
Olympic silver medalist Vicky Thornley with Bishop Heber High School headteacher David Curry as she opens the newly-refurbished Community Fitness Suite

“The fact that Vicky won a silver medal is fantastic and we were very humbled and honoured by her presence today at Heber to celebrate the opening of an excellent facility for the students at school, as well as local families”.