Barry Comprehensive School

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Barry Comprehensive School played a vital role in the successful operation of getting thousands of Irish rugby fans from the Millenium Stadium to Cardiff International Airport after last months Heineken Cup final.

Steve Hodgetts, Operations Manager of Cardiff International Airport, and Police Inspector Chris Patterson had contacted headteacher David Swallow to ask for the schools help in providing a ‘staging-post’ between the Stadium and the Airport to accommodate some of the additional 8000 passengers that the event generated.

Special coach routes were agreed with Cardiff Council and South Wales Police to separate the airport's Cup visitors from normal weekend traffic. The coaches were directed to the school first before travelling on to the airport to arrive at precisely the right time for the appropriate flight.

Although initially parking space was all that was required, the school felt it could make its visitors more welcome and opened up the school canteen. Catering staff, under the leadership of Sharon Hutcheon provided a first class service to the Irish visitors, who worked their way through a mountain of hotdogs, pizza, & curry whilst waiting for their flight home. In addition to the school staff, South Wales Police and Airport personnel were on site to ensure everything went to plan.