PARENTS of Collegiate Grammar School girls have been given a mandate from the Fermanagh public to stop the proposed merger with Portora Royal School.

This week, many parents have been getting their children ready for the new school term, which begins on Monday.

But the parents in the Collegiate Support Group, which has been fighting the proposed merger, have had other things on their minds.

This week the group was given the mandate from the Fermanagh public to hand to the Department of Education.

The Group’s Chair, Mrs. Florence Brunt (pictured, left) and secretary, Mrs. Audrey Stewart (centre), handed a petition signed by more than 12,500 people to the Department on Tuesday – the final day available for objections to the proposed merger to be received.

The names represent a broad cross-section of people in the county and gives the support group optimism for the future success of their campaign which has been tireless and unrelenting since it was formed about a year ago.

Both Mrs. Brunt and Mrs. Stewart, accompanied by another member, Mr. Noel Ingram, handed the petition to officials of the Department of Education.

“We hope that with the overwhelming weight of public opinion behind us, we will show the Minister we do not want this,” said Mrs. Stewart.