A HIGH School is preparing for its 40th year with a bumper 12 months of celebrations, fund-raisers and fun.
Haslingden High School was formed when Haslingden Secondary Modern and Haslingden Grammar School combined in 1975.
To mark the ruby anniversary the school is looking to set up 40 challenges for its many different clubs and organisations at the school.
Deputy Headteacher Gill Smith said: “It is an exciting time at Haslingden High School and we have established a a committee to formulate the plans for our proposed activities.
“We have already launched an official school Facebook page – Haslingden High School and Sixth Form and we are encouraging people to ‘like’ our page and share their memories and photographs of the school over the years.
“We are also planning to raise money to replace the school minibus.
“We hope to raise £20,000 over the course of the year and the Parent Teacher and Friends Association are on board helping to organise events, the first of which will be a quiz on March 13 at 7pm at Haslingden Cricket Club.”
When the school’s plans were announced on the Facebook page a former student Ellen Butcher happened to find an old Rossendale Free Press in her loft.
She said: “It’s just a coincidence I happened to get this newspaper from my loft the day after I read on Facebook that the school was appealing for photos. “I was there from 1986 to 1993.”
The cutting shows former headteacher Richard Marshall in 1978 when, after a three-year campaign, the school was able to buy its own minibus. Mr Marshall led the school for 28 years and died in November last year aged 87.
Mrs Smith added: “This is a very special year for Haslingden High School and we hope the school’s alumni will join with us in our celebrations.”
Anyone with memorabilia is asked to post it on the Facebook page or call into school.