Lancing Prep Hove and College alumnus, Mason Crane, has returned to his old prep school in Hove for the formal opening of its superb new £2.5m school hall. Mason, 20, who plays cricket for Hampshire and has just been named in the winter 2017 Ashes squad for Australia, unveiled the Laurent Hall plaque and cut the ribbon to mark the addition to the school facilities of this high quality, multi-purpose 500 square meter space. The hall will also offer opportunities for use by the wider community in Hove.
Mason spoke of the inspiration he gained from his experiences at Lancing and remarked upon the many improvements he saw at the prep school since his time there.
Chairman of Governors, Dr Harry Brünjes, underlined the importance of the new space to the school and how its use will grow and develop over time, as it integrates into the daily life of Lancing Prep Hove. It is already the focus point for assemblies and lunches and will be used for music and drama performances, and indoor sport. Lancing College Head Master, Dominic Oliver, paid tribute to the College team who have overseen the project from the ground up: the Estates Bursar, Gavin Merryweather, the Bursar, Mark Milling, and Governor, Richard Stapleton, who chairs the College Estates Committee.
The provision of the Laurent Hall has allowed the existing space within the school to be re-purposed, with a wonderful new library, funded by the Lancing Foundation, at the heart of the school, along with a more welcoming and efficient space for the school office and reception area. These moves have, in turn, enabled improvements to be made to classrooms and other teaching spaces within the school. Lancing Prep Hove is ambitious to grow the number of pupils on the school roll to an optimal 300 and Head Mistress Kirsty Keep is delighted that the College and the Lancing Foundation have invested in the future of the school in this way.
The photo shows from left to right; Dr Harry Brünjes, Alan Laurent, Mason Crane, Kirsty Keep and Dominic Oliver