SIR JOHN Major was at Spring Common School special school in Huntingdon on Friday to open the school s new Life Skills suite. The former Prime Minister and MP for Huntingdon had given a personal donation to the project, which cost £50,000, and took five y

SIR JOHN Major was at Spring Common School special school in Huntingdon on Friday to open the school's new Life Skills suite.

The former Prime Minister and MP for Huntingdon had given a personal donation to the project, which cost £50,000, and took five years to raise the cash and complete the building.

The suite has two kitchens, both with adjustable height surfaces, sinks and ovens and cupboards which slide down and open out so their contents can be reached.

One is a domestic kitchen for learning how to be independent at home and the other is a commercial one for learning professional culinary skills. The space also includes a dining room, laundry room and social room.

The kitchens have been in use since January and all the food for the grand opening was made by pupils who have spent the term planning and preparing dishes for 85 people - including Sir John and Dame Norma Major.

Carrot cake was made with carrots grown by Spring Common pupils on an allotment.

The opening also saw the presentation of prizes for a poster competition in which Spring Common is through to the national finals. The contest is run by the Government's Food Link project on the subject of food safety.

Spring Common winners include a whole class for the under sevens section, who won games on a food theme, and Toby Forshaw, 11, and Luke Hammond, 15, who won Nintendo sets. Toby's picture was of flies with the caption: "Flies vomit on food" and Toby's was a ship with the caption: "Steer clear of contamination".

Those who contributed to the kitchen fund included RAF Wyton, Grafham Lions Club, Ramsey Golf Club, Huntingdon Male Voice Choir, Huntingdonshire Concert Band, Melodramatics Drama Society, Huntingdonshire Association of Tourism, The Fenland Light Railway, The Crown at Broughton, Hurst Guest House, Hartford, The Huntingdon Freemen's Charity, individuals including Bob and Marion Grindrod from Brampton and parents and friends of Spring Common School.