The Duke of Edinburgh returns

Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh returns in 1976 to open the gymnasium

The new gymnasium was opened in January 1976. By October this was not only providing a new dimension to PE teaching but was also the basis of the BSB sports centre (according to the book ‘21 Years of Creating Excellence’ published in 1992) … “six tennis courts were eventually built … and were in use by the summer of 1977”.

The completion of the new gymnasium enabled Dick Pantlin to invite HRH The Duke of Edinburgh back for the official opening in December, six years to the day after the official opening in 1970. According to the archives the occasion involved the whole school and a ‘good’ number were able to have personal contact during his morning visit. Some parents, but also a number of other guests from Belgian life as well as the British community attended. Careful and detailed planning over the previous weeks had been necessary.

The Duke visited many parts of the school and included, of course, the new gymnasium and a gym display. In the official opening ceremony in the gymnasium, Dick Pantlin summed up the achievements of the previous six years.