A BUSINESSMAN and leading Rotarian who passed away after bravely battling cancer has left a tremendous legacy to a Bournemouth school.

Don Lanning, who was managing director of Bath Travel for 25 years, bequeathed £10,000 to Bournemouth Rotary Club.

The money was used to buy 22 laptops, 10 PCs and two tablet computers for a new computer suite at Heathlands Primary School in Springwater Road, Bournemouth.

Don’s wife Gill, who oversaw the donation, said: “Don was a kind and generous man who was incredibly community-minded. He would have been highly delighted to know this money was going to such an important cause. Although my husband and computers were like chalk and cheese, he thought a lot of the opportunities technology provides for future generations.”

Headteacher Sarah Dunn said: “Don’s legacy is tremendous. It has enabled us to replace all our failing and decrepit machines and makes a massive difference to our ability to keep teaching current. Now children can blog, carry out online research or play learning games. We’ve taken great care to ensure the appropriate levels of internet security so children can learn ICT in a safe and closely monitored environment.”

Don, a father of one who died at the age of 63, was a president of Bournemouth Rotary Club in 1991 and 1992 and his wife Gill is the current president of the club. He and Mrs Lanning were actively involved in a local spina bifida charity for many years after the diagnosis of their son Michael.

Mrs Lanning was joined by Bournemouth Rotary Club, staff and students for a grand unveiling of the new Don Lanning ICT suite at the school on Friday.