PUPILS at Holy Rood Junior School will be storming around Swindon after securing their first ever minibus.

The school in Upham Road, which will take on a reception class when it expands to become Holy Cross Primary School in September, received the new minibus on Wednesday, after two years of fundraising.

The £10,600 minibus can seat 15 people and carries the school’s new name and crest, which was designed by Year 5 pupil, Sam Garrett.

The 10-year-old said: “I’m happy and excited because I won and I never thought I had a chance of winning. I feel shocked because everyone around Swindon will see it. It will be strange seeing it out around the town.”

The new minibus will enable the school to continue to engage with the community in Swindon and go further afield to sports fixtures and out of school events.

Headteacher Tony McAteer said: “It means that we can do more work in the community such as visiting the residential homes. We do all that already but it now means we can go further afield.

“The teams will also be able to go to local fixtures and the choir and drama groups will also be able to go out into the community more.”

Chair of the board of governors, Paul Boyles, was also delighted the school now had a minibus.

He said: “I have been here for many years and I can remember when I first came here that if there were any matches parents had to take the players to all the football matches.

“Now that there is a minibus they can just jump on to it.

A significant amount of the money for the new minibus was raised by the school’s Parents and Friends Association, which donated £4,000 after hosting events including fetes, discos and Christmas card sales.

Meanwhile, parent Martina Haugh cycled 100km to raise money for the cause, and deputy head Robin Christian ran the London Marathon.

The Highworth Lions also donated £200, and a further £300 was awarded by Swindon Council through their Grassroots Community Funding Scheme.

Mr McAteer said: “The Parents and Friends Association committee has done a great job.

“We are also grateful to High-worth Lions and Swindon Borough Council for their support of the project and to the governors who have been involved.”