A £10,000 funding boost has allowed a Honiton school to kit out its science classrooms and bring in new sports equipment.

Honiton Community College received a £10,000 cheque from My Local Pitch, an internet booking engine that enables people to book grassroots sports facilities online.

The generous donation has allowed the college to install furniture in its revamped science block, as well as buy new football goals, rugby kit, an outdoor table tennis table and badminton equipment. Glenn Smith, principal at Honiton Community College, said the donation was a ‘fantastic gesture’.

He added: “There are times in education that seem dark and dim and nobody is on our side.

“Politicians talk the good talk but do not back it up with the finance. Then out of the blue, someone like My Local Pitch will say ‘I can help you’ and come up with lots of advice and money to support the resources we so desperately need.

“This has restored my faith, and I hope the relationship we have can be worked on. We are already talking about what we can do to get an all-weather pitch!”

Jamie Foale and Will Chrimes, of My Local Pitch, presented the cheque to Mr Smith and Matt Burrell, the college’s director of finance. Mr Foale said: “You guys are clearly doing a good job, and I hear there is a lot of success going on, on and off the field.

“We are delighted to be able to help. My Local Pitch believes in enabling kids to grow their self-confidence and self-worth and that happens here, in the classroom and on the pitch.”

Work on revamping Honiton Community College’science block started in mid-May and was completed by the October half term. The school successfully made a £1million condition improvement fund bid to the Department for Education (DfE).

The facelift comprised a new roof, windows, internal and external doors, new flooring, decoration throughout, completely new gas, water and electrical systems and new laboratory fixtures and fittings.

Honiton mayor Councillor Henry Brown said: “It’s really good to see money invested in young people, especially for sports facilities. There is growing concern that our generations coming forward are becoming more sedentary and spending more time indoors.

“Any initiative which looks to get them active is a big win.”