Special needs Pupils at a local primary school hit the road in their brand new minibus – hours after it was presented to them by the Canary Wharf Contractors Fund (CWCF), its generous donors.

Alison Helm, headteacher of North Beckton Primary School was handed the keys to the minibus by Richard Lines, Chairman of CWCF during a special ceremony at the school, last Friday.

CWCF joined forces with Variety, the Children’s Charity to secure the school’s new minibus, which is officially known as a Variety Sunshine Coach.

Mrs Helm said:  “At North Beckton we are delighted to be the recipients of a new Variety Sunshine Coach.

“We have a number of children in the school who have different special educational needs which can mean that using public transport is either a physical impossibility or can be a very stressful experience. This coach will mean that our vision of inclusivity and equal access in opportunity for all can become a reality.”

Zap Space, an outdoor trampoline centre in Stratford is the first place North Beckton’s pupils visited in their brand new minibus on Friday afternoon, shortly after the morning presentation.

Two or three trips are planned a week between now and Christmas. The trips will give the pupils a chance to participate in sports, debates and adventurous outdoor activities.

Richard Lines, Chairman of the CWCF, said: “The Canary Wharf Contractors Fund is delighted to be able to help Variety donate this coach to North Beckton Primary School.

“Providing funds for this coach and participating in the great work that Variety does is very much in keeping with the objectives of Canary Wharf Contractors Fund.”

The school’s two previous coaches were over ten years old and provided by Variety. They were returned to the charity after it became clear that they were no longer financially viable due to regular garage costs for maintenance and repairs.

Colleen Ettridge, Variety’s Head of Fundraising said: “We are extremely grateful to Canary Wharf Contractors Fund for sponsoring the school’s Variety Sunshine Coach.  These coaches, often regarded as ‘mobile classrooms’, give pupils with additional needs the opportunity to experience active learning and develop life skills outside of the school environment.”

Please click here to view pictures in our gallery