The school has been supported by Variety the Children’s Charity for many years and chair of Variety Wessex Frances Cornelius and committee member Barry Smith, were delighted to be invited along for a photograph for the school newsletter as a thank you.

Variety Wessex is very grateful to have received two generous anonymous donations enabling them to purchase 3,250 chocolate Easter eggs for children attending four local special needs schools and three local main stream schools whose pupils include many under privileged children and young carers. Eggs were also presented to youngsters living in a women’s refuge.

Variety Wessex has a long relationship with Victoria Education Centre that offers support, education and training to students with physical and learning challenges. Variety Wessex has presented life changing specialist equipment including several electric and manual wheelchairs and mobile hoists.

Some years ago, Frances and Barry regularly played wheelchair hockey with the youngsters in the School’s gym and Barry drove several children with their carers to Camp Bestival, at Lulworth Castle, in one of their Sunshine Coaches. It was a Saturday, so no other qualified minibus driver was available. The pupils travelled in the school’s Sunshine Coach that had been presented by popular broadcaster Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart.

The pupils also thoroughly enjoyed a Variety trip to Lulworth Army Camp. Variety had received donations to buy all the boys that attended in their wheelchairs, waterproof camouflage jackets and trousers with a special waterproof poncho that covered them and their wheelchairs in case of poor weather conditions.  One of the boys refused to wear his outfit unless Frances also wore a set.  Victoria youngsters also attend annual Variety trips to Monkey World.

The school’s thank you reads:

We were very pleased to welcome Frances Cornelius and Barry Smith, from Variety The Children’s Charity, with a special delivery! With Easter just around the corner, we were delighted to receive a batch of delicious Easter eggs to be shared among the students. Huge thanks to all of our friends at Variety!