Colchester: Former pupil's fitness gift to old school (From Gazette)

Colchester: Former pupil's fitness gift to old school

10:51pm Wednesday 30th April 2008 in Search By Tom Parkes

A SPORTS equipment firm boss has said thank you to his old school by donating equipment worth thousands of pounds.

Jon Neill admits he had an "unspectacular" career as a pupil at Colchester's Sir Charles Lucas Arts College - but he more than made up for it later by building a business with 11,000 schools and sports centres as clients.

The 39-year-old, who started Sportsafe UK in 1996 from the garage of his home in Great Horkesley, now employs 38 staff at a 13,000sq ft warehouse at Eastgates, Colchester.

He manufactures, supplies, installs, repairs and maintains sports fitness equipment and currently has contracts with 46 councils.

Mr Neill recently visited the sports centre at Sir Charles Lucas in Greenstead, to present manager Nick Foxley with a Precor USA EFX 546 cross trainer and a Precor USA C956 treadmill, worth a combined total of about £5,000.

He said: "It's nice to give a little something back to the school and I would like to do more for them in the future.

"I personally had a good time and enjoyed my days at Sir Charles Lucas."