Rugby star Rory Underwood presents school with new mini bus

The presentation to John Fielding Special School, in Ashlawn Dive, came through a programme run by Lord’s Taverners charity, the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity.

Since the scheme began in 1976, more than 1,200 minibuses have been donated to special educational schools and organisations throughout the UK.

The distinctive green minibuses enable schools to engage pupils in sporting and recreational activities and help them develop life skills such as visiting shops and interacting with people in the local community.

In order to receive the mini bus, the school had to put forward £17,000 towards the cost of the vehicle. This it achieved through numerous fundraisers held over about 18 months.

Richard Gamman, head of school: “It has been a pleasure to welcome Rory Underwood, and representatives from Lord and Lady Taverners here today to officially present our new mini bus.

“It is our mission at John Fielding School to prepare our young people to make a contribution to their community, but to do that we need to be out there – at the local shops, the swimming pool, the college, the church, in the town centre and further afield.

“It is a mini bus that enables us to achieve that and now having this new bus from Lord’s Taverners we can support our students’ ability to be part of, to be visible in, cope with and enjoy their local community.”

Rory Underwood, a Lord’s Taverners member, said: “It’s been great to visit the school today and meet the pupils and staff. It’s such a pleasure to hand over a Lord’s Taverners mini bus to another great cause.”