On 21st December 2012, Lindon Bennett School in Middlesex received a Variety Sunshine Coach as an early Christmas present. To celebrate the occasion, Lindon Bennett School hosted a group of representatives from both Variety, the Children’s Charity and British Airways; the generous sponsors of the Sunshine Coach.

Keith Williams, British Airways CEO and other British Airways staff including Mary Bary, Steve Edwards, Mary Brew and Tony and Pat Furzer performed the official handover. Keith Andrews, Chief Barker of Variety, the Children’s Charity was on hand to officiate over the proceedings and to thank British Airways for their generous and continued support of Variety, the Children’s Charity.

As if the generous donation of a Sunshine Coach was not enough, the British Airways Apprentices had also raised additional monies to give the school some wonderful Christmas presents which were presented on the day.

Lindon Bennett is a primary school for children with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties and Severe Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The school is split over two sites, one site for the nursery and reception classes and the larger site hosts the remaining children year 1 to year 6. The excursions outside the school help to enhance the curriculum for students.

The school already had one Variety Sunshine Coach which allowed some scope to undertake swimming and horse riding and other exciting activities. Having an additional 13 Seat minibus with a tail lift donated by British Airways will increase the number of children that will be able to access these trips and life experiences and on a more regular basis from both sites.

Keith Williams, CEO British Airways said:

“We are pleased to support the fantastic work of the charity and look forward to working with Variety, the Children’s Charity in the future. We are very proud they are one of our supported charity partners and that we have been able to help a School in the area we operate.”

Mark Hutton, School Business Manager said:

“The school is extremely grateful to British Airways and Variety, the Children’s Charity for their continued support and generosity with the new minibus. The bus will be a fantastic addition to our school and enable us to enhance the learning for all our pupils and we know that they will benefit greatly from this. It will be especially great for our PMLD classes as they will now be able to all go out together.”