THE school opened its doors to the public over the festive season to celebrate the re-opening of the Old Palace, raising £278.76 for Highfield School Ely in the process.
Over 100 local people were welcomed into the recently refurbished Old Palace to listen to Christmas carols by the King’s Ely Chamber Choir and learn about the history of the 15th century building, while enjoying home-made mince pies and refreshments.
King’s Ely took over the lease for the Old Palace from the charity Sue Ryder Care in 2010. Indeed, many of the visitors were former residents or employees at the care home.
After two years of refurbishment, the school has been keen to restore the Old Palace’s position a
t the heart of the local community of Ely.
Head of King’s Ely, Sue Freestone, said: “King’s Ely is part of the community and it is always a pleasure to support another organisation within the city, especially one that helps children and young people.”
Highfield’s headteacher, Simon Bainbridge, added: “We are really grateful to King’s Ely for donating the proceeds from the open event to our school. We are currently developing the children’s play area and the donation will be used to purchase a large outdoor trampoline.”