Applebee Wood Community School is celebrating a transformative milestone with the arrival of a brand-new Variety Sunshine Coach, a gift that will open doors to new experiences for its students. Generously funded by The Trevor Hemmings Foundation, this specially adapted minibus will ensure that every child can take part in exciting learning opportunities.

Applebee Wood Community School provides education for children aged 4-18 with learning difficulties, ensuring they thrive in a supportive and enriched learning environment. For these students, learning extends far beyond the classroom walls, and the Variety Sunshine Coach will be an essential tool in helping them access alternative provision placements such as hair and beauty, construction, media, and woodwork, equipping them with vital life skills.

Fiona Nickeas, Staff Governor said:

“At Applebee Wood, we try to get our fabulous pupils out of the classroom as much as possible, as this is how they learn best. We have regular visits to out of school providers, swimming and sensory play centres, as well as visits to parks, farms, outdoor and adventurous activities and many other places, to enhance the curriculum.

Having the Variety Sunshine Coach has enabled us to arrange more outings, and to take our wheelchair users out with ease. Thank you so much to Variety and our fabulous sponsors, The Trevor Hemmings Foundation, for providing us with this wonderful coach”

A key highlight of the event was the recognition of Tony Knappett, a long-standing advocate for disability inclusion and accessibility in sport. As Head of Disability, Diversity & Inclusion at We Do Tennis CIC, Tony has worked tirelessly to promote sports opportunities for people with disabilities. In honour of his dedication, Tony was awarded the Voices for Change medal at the presentation.

Mark Tootell, Trustee of The Trevor Hemmings Foundation, attended the presentation to hand over the coach to the school. This generous donation represents freedom, independence and a chance for the children at the school to make life-long memories.

Mark Tootell, Trustee of The Trevor Hemmings Foundation, said:

“It is a pleasure for the Trevor Hemmings Foundation to be able to support Variety and the staff at Applebee Wood with the outstanding work they do. It was great to hear first hand from the children themselves that they will be putting the coach to good use and the impact that it will have for many years to come.”