September will be a very special month for the Variety Sunshine Coach Programme when 15 schools located all over the country each receive their eagerly-awaited coaches. That will put an awful lot of smiles on the faces of the 1,815 children and young people who will use them.

Having their own coach enables each school to plan more trips, taking their pupils in safety and comfort to activities and places that many would not otherwise experience. A Sunshine Coach is a passport to a whole new world as well as providing a valuable connection with the local community and opportunities to access the national curriculum at other schools and educational centres.

Typically, Sunshine Coaches will be used at least 4 times a week.

A Sunshine Coach has a normal life expectancy of up to ten years so between them, this exceptional number of 15 coaches in a single month, will clock up over a million miles in the course of their lifetime.

It all adds up to a wonderful opportunity for many happy experiences to come and talking of adding up, the funding for all fifteen coaches is not far short of £600,000. But at a smile a mile, Variety reckons its worth every penny.