THE CHRISTMAS fair at East Meon Primary School raised £1,200 for the hall extension fund and learning resources such as theatre workshops.

Headteacher Karlaine Gilbert said: “The school was packed for the fair, there wasn’t any spare space, it was very, very busy, and a real success, and I would like to thank everyone who helped on the day, and who came.”

The next Christmas event is the school Nativity play, which will wrap up a great year said Karlaine.

She added: “The autumn term has been great. The fund for the hall extension now stands at £50,000.”

Due to the school’s popularity, it now has around 85 pupils and more space is needed for assemblies, lunches and indoor PE lessons.

So in response, ambitious plans to extend the school hall have been put together; the work has an estimated price tag of around £100,000.

The Friends of East Meon School, school governors and parents have undertaken to organise the fundraising. For the past two years Meonfest, a music festival held on the nearby Bereliegh Estate, has been the big money raiser, attracting hundreds of music lovers from the Meon Valley and Petersfield areas.

The dates for next year’s festival has recently been announced – Saturday, June 27 – and there is more news is on the festival website.