The Project
For nearly a century and a half, Fives has been the province of top Independent schools; except, that is, for the involvement of St. Olave’s Grammar School. Dating back over 450 years to the time of Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare, St. Olave’s Grammar School has an unbroken tradition of providing free education for students from most of Greater London and has built a reputation as one of the country’s finest schools. Despite limited facilities it has also dominated the competitive Fives circuit, with national champions at various ages.
Our Vision
We want to create a ‘Southway’ Fives Centre at St. Olave's to promote the sport across a wide geographical region in South London. This would mirror the new West-way development in North Kensington. To do this we need to build 4 new courts to bring the total school provision to 8 Fives courts.
To achieve this, we need to raise £300,000.
Raised so far...
Why do this?
Among the many reasons, there are wider community benefits, including:
- Increased court availability for the 150-strong team of players.
- A particular focus on promoting the sport amongst girls.
- Facilities available for use by pupils from surrounding State Secondary and Primary schools.
- An inclusive approach to the involvement of young people with disabilities.
- A borough-wide Schools' club on Saturday mornings as an on-going concern.
- Sharing of StOGS ethos and expertise through competitive tournaments.
- Training for staff from other schools.
- Much greater use by the local adult community, Old Olavians and parents.
Why St.Olaves?
The sport of Fives has benefited from generations of Olavians. As a national leader, Howard Wiseman’s proven enthusiasm will ensure that all donations are put to use for the wider good of the game.
Dedicated manpower is already in place for a larger facility to be kept very busy. We have already run a successful girls’ scheme and our unique ethos, where senior students take responsibility for training younger ones, will be shared across a wide range of maintained schools.
How much will it cost?
The total estimated cost is £300,000. The EFA has committed £20,000 to start the project and we will seek to raise the remainder. The school will pursue other funding streams such as Sport England and the National Lottery.
What is the timescale?
The target is 3 years to completion, but it may be possible to achieve it in 2 years with the following timetable:
| Easter 2015: | Apply for planning permission. |
| Autumn 2015: | Commence fundraising, including any formal bids. |
| Summer 2017: | Finalise detailed plans and go out to tender. |
| 2017-18: | Commence and complete construction. |
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