Award-winning developer Crest Nicholson is proud to announce the donation of a Sunshine Coach to Stone Lodge Academy in Ipswich, Suffolk. The donation is in conjunction with Crest Nicholson’s official charity partner Variety, a children’s charity that carries out vital work to support and improve the lives of young people across the UK.
Adrian Bohr, Managing Director at Crest Nicholson’s Eastern Division and Annette Cole, Sales and Marketing Director, joined Colleen Ettridge, Head of Fundraising at Variety, on Friday to present the brand-new coach to the school and pupils.
Stone Lodge Academy provides specialist education for 163 children and young people aged 5 to 16 who have complex barriers to their learning including Downs Syndrome, Autism, ADHD and emotional and behavioural problems.
The new Sunshine Coach is replacing the Stone Lodge Academy’s old minibus that has become unreliable and too expensive to maintain. The Sunshine Coach will be used every day to take the pupils to horse-riding lessons and college classes to develop their life skills and improve their health and well-being. It will also take students on end of term educational visits to the seaside at Felixstowe and other excursions, all of which were at risk of being reduced or cancelled without the new minibus.
Rick Tracey, Head Teacher at Stone Lodge Academy commented: “Without the help from Variety and Crest Nicholson, we had absolutely no chance with our current funding of replacing our old mini bus, which was 12 years old. Our first trip is taking the junior pupils to use a sensory room and they can’t wait. It is like a dream come true!”
Adrian Bohr, Managing Director at Crest Nicholson Eastern, said: “Meeting the children today was wonderful; we’re so pleased to have been able to contribute the Sunshine coach to Stone Lodge Academy alongside Variety. We look forward to seeing how access to the minibus benefits these pupils’ needs and enhances their school experiences as they explore the local community in Suffolk.”
Colleen Ettridge, Head of Fundraising at Variety, added: “We are extremely grateful to Crest Nicholson Eastern for their continued support and sponsoring this Sunshine Coach for Stone Lodge Academy. These coaches, often regarded as ‘mobile classrooms; give pupils with additional needs the opportunity to learn and develop life skills outside of the school environment.”
This year to date, Crest Nicholson has already donated £250,234 to Variety, and £1.4 million since 2005.
Crest Nicholson also has a number of developments in Suffolk including Fernham Green, an exceptional collection of 2 & 3-bedroom cottages and 4 bedroom family homes set in the heart of Kings Warren.
Positioned on the edge of the bustling market town of Newmarket, this development forms the latest chapter of the highly sought-after Red Lodge community, benefitting from an array of amenities and facilities on the doorstep including a village centre, primary school, sports pavilion, and allotments - making these new homes the perfect place to set up home.
2-bedroom cottages are available from £232,500, call 01638 501085 or visit our website to find your dream home.
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