Firefighters applauded at hot air balloon fundraiser for St Martins School after major blaze
St Martins School bosses have been "overwhelmed" by an outpouring of support after thousands of pounds were raised following a "devastating" fire that badly damaged the school building.
Hot air balloons filled the skies over St Martins on Tuesday night (September 23) as the village community came together for a swiftly organised fundraising event in aid of the fire-ravaged school.
Organised by local hot air balloon display team Rainbow Hot Air Balloon, the event at The Keys pub was a soaring success, raising £1,324 in cash donations for the school.
Furthermore, an online GoFundMe fundraiser has raised more than £1,360, taking the total current donations to more than £2,680.
Donations can be made towards St Martins School here.
The fire, which broke out at around 5.20pm on Sunday, has left parts of the school’s arts centre, dining area, and surrounding sections badly damaged. The school remains closed for the rest of the week, with a phased return for pupils dependent on the availability of contractors to carry out urgent repairs.
Firefighters from Oswestry Fire Station, who were first on the scene, made a surprise visit to the balloon event, and were greeted with cheers and applause from attendees.
Steph Arias, a teaching assistant and parent of children at St Martins School, and member of the Rainbow Hot Air Balloon team crew, said the group was eager to show their support for the school at the challenging time.
"I am incredibly proud of Rainbow Hot Air Balloon team, my second family," she said. "My husband had this idea late on Monday night, and we manged to pull it all together and execute less than 24 hours later.
"The way the community came together was emotional to see. We managed to get five balloons up in the air. The Oswestry firefighters unexpectedly arrived in the fire engine, and as they walked into the garden were met with cheers and a round of applause from the crowd. Everyone there spoke highly of the school and were there to show their full support."
Steph also extended a "massive thanks" to The Keys, which hosted the balloon display and supported the event.
Headteacher at St Martins School Alison Pope said the school had been deeply moved by the kindness shown.
She said: "We are overwhelmed by the support from our community. Thank you to everyone who contributed and showed their support."
Drone footage captured on Monday revealed the extent of the damage to the building, including to several solar panels installed on the roof.
In total, eight fire engines were called to the scene. Crews from Oswestry Fire Station were first to arrive and quickly escalated the response due to the scale of the blaze.
Shropshire Council said it is working closely with St Martins School, the 3-18 Education Trust, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, and other key agencies to support the school community and restore education provision as swiftly and safely as possible.
Donations can be made towards St Martins School here.
