A NEW multi-purpose room at an Audenshaw school has been named after an inspirational governor.
Arthur Pownell has been connected to St Anne’s Primary for decades, having started his own teaching career at the school.
He then moved on to St John the Evangelist school in Higher Openshaw, where he went on to become Deputy Headteacher before retiring in 1988.
The 89-year-old has been a governor at St Anne’s for over 30 years and goes into the Clarendon Road establishment at least twice a week – either to teach art lessons, attend assemblies or give talks on things he’s loved throughout his life.
Erin Gordon, the school’s Deputy Headteacher, described Arthur as “a very special member of our St Anne’s family”.
She said: “He really is like a celebrity for all the children. Over his career and life, he has touched the heart of so many students and still inspires children today. He really is an absolute hero who we all love very dearly.”
Parish priest Christopher Lough is retiring this month after six years and Arthur thought he was attending school on the morning of Thursday, January 16, for a celebration for him.
But staff had in fact secretly snuck Arthur’s family in and presented him with a big red book in the style of the TV show This Is Your Life, to explain why they decided to dedicate the new area to him.
The new room has been named ‘The Pownell Suite’ – which will mainly be used as a chapel for worship, while the other half will be a creative space to reflect Arthur’s unwavering faith and love for art.
Bishop John Arnold, of Salford Diocese, was also invited to cut the ribbon to officially open the space.
Mrs Gordon said Arthur’s reaction to the surprise typified the kind of person he is.
“He was very humble and grateful and just completely blown away that we had gone to such an effort for him,” she said.
“A lot of his family, most of his children and some grandchildren, of which both generations attended the school, were in attendance so he was shocked that they all managed to keep it a secret and one of his daughters even came all the way from France for the occasion.
“Both myself and Mrs Clarke, the headteacher, feel honoured to not only have Arthur in our school life but also value his friendship.
“In his own words to the children the following day, he said: ‘As a teacher, you never fully understand the impact you have at the time, but the children of St Anne’s always respond amazingly – and yesterday they really did make an old man very happy!’”