Fearns Community Sports College in Bacup, Lancashire, has recently benefited from a £65,000 refurbishment project to help reinforce its position as a specialist sports college.

The college caters for pupils aged 11- to 16-years–old and – having achieved specialist status in 2004 – is working in partnership with Lancashire County Council to develop it into a dual use facility.

As part of the improvements, a new 20-station gym has been installed and equipped by Life Fitness.

Existing facilities include a sports hall, school gym and floodlit astroturf pitch.

During the day, the sports centre is available to pupils from the college, plus those from five other schools in the area. It also sees use by an extensive GP Referral Scheme set up in conjunction with the local Primary Care Trust.

The facilities are available for use by the general public and clubs in the evenings and at weekends. The college estimates that around 1,000 people use the centre each week.

The college is now working towards achieving recognition as a Centre of Excellence for dance and trampolining.