HEALTHCARE provider Simplyhealth has donated £2,250 to the Icknield Trust, a special school in Andover for three to 19-year-olds with severe learning difficulties.
The money from Simplyhealth’s Andover community fund will be put towards a static home on the South Coast for Further Education Students at Icknield to use for short breaks and gain more independence.
The Icknield Trust currently provides a Further Education Centre in Andover for older students at Icknield School aged 16 to 19. The centre has transformed the education of the older students, giving them a place of their own to improve their life skills.
The Icknield Trust is now launching the BreakAway Fundraising Campaign to raise £50,000 for a static home at Hoburne Naish Holiday Park in Christchurch, so students can explore the outdoors and develop as young adults.
Chairman at the Icknield Trust David Smith said: “It’s important that as the students grow older they’re able to fill their leisure time, away from the structure of the school day and learn life skills such as cooking, cleaning and shopping.
“Students from the Further Education Centre have been visiting Hoburne Naish for a number of years and really benefit from being in a new environment.
However, the cost of these trips means that they are limited.
“We believe that by providing a permanent static home, fully adapted for disabled access, we will be able to provide a brilliant opportunity for many more students to grow and develop.
“Simplyhealth’s generous donation has kick-started our fundraising and we’d like to thank the members of its Andover Community Fund.”
Mark Hamson at Simplyhealth says: “Icknield Trust does a great job of helping young people with disabilities in our area.
“By helping these youngsters to develop the social and practical skills that they need, Icknield are able to equip them for the future.
This is a fantastic cause and one that we are pleased to support.”
The Icknield Trust will be organising a number of fundraising events during 2014 to raise money for its BreakAway campaign.
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