A DANCE school which teaches children aged from three to 18 in Byfleet and Woking has received a grant of £2,500 to purchase new ballet barres.

 The Susan Robinson School of Ballet was awarded the grant from the Heathrow Community Trust through a scheme designed to support airport staff who volunteer in their community.

Debbie Souter, who works at Heathrow Terminal 5, has volunteered at the ballet school for more than 25 years, since her daughter started ballet there at the age of three.

The school, which also teaches modern, jazz and tap, actively fundraises for local charities, and the children and staff have raised more than £100,000 over the past 20 years.

Most recently they raised £12,000 to fund a new bed at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford, and the school hopes to reach a similar amount for the Brain Tumour Charity next April when they plan to hold their biennial school show at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre in Woking.

The new portable barres will aid students’ training as not all the school’s studios have barres installed.