Special needs pupils to enjoy forest fun thanks to grant
KHS Friends, a small group of parents, staff and friends supporting Kirkleatham Hall School, has received a grant of £6,030 from Darlington Building Society’s annual pledge to donate 5 per cent of its profits to good causes.
And the money is to be used to buy a fire pit canopy to provide shelter in a wooded area used as a Forest School where the pupils enjoy activities in the fresh air.
The school, near Redcar, provides high quality care for more than 200 pupils, aged between two and 19, with a wide range of special needs.
KHS Friends chair, Claire Learman, whose 12-year-old daughter, Alice, is a pupil at the school, said: “We are over the moon to receive such a significant amount of money from Darlington Building Society, and it will be used in a way that enriches the lives of the children.
“We are very lucky to have a wooded area in the school grounds and the children love taking part in the activities in the Forest School, but it doesn’t have a shelter and is exposed to the elements.
“The canopy we will now be able to buy means we can avoid sessions having to be cancelled when it rains, creating more opportunities to use that space.
“This is a really big boost to our fundraising, so we can’t thank Darlington Building Society enough.”
Archie Thompson and Alice Learman (Image: Chris Barron)
Jo Burns, Forest School Practitioner, added: “I’m just so overwhelmed for the children. I’ve been trying to get some sort of canopy for them for the last three years, and when we reached out to Darlington Building Society, they just agreed to support it straight away.
“I got really emotional, because it will just be such a fantastic resource for the school and provide real benefits to the children.
“Like them, I’d rather be outside than in a classroom! Just being outside, being surrounded by nature, and peace and quiet – and now they can enjoy it in all weathers. It’s just wonderful.
“We’re very grateful to Darlington Building Society, and to KHS Friends – the support they give the school is just amazing.”
(Image: Chris Barron) Andrew Craddock, Chief Executive of Darlington Building Society, said: “Kirkleatham Hall School clearly does a wonderful job, supported by KHS Friends, so we are thrilled to have been able to make this donation through our 5% pledge.
“It is always heartwarming to see the wide variety of ways in which our 5% fund benefits the community, and this is another great example – helping pupils to enjoy even more positive experiences, out in the fresh air.”