A Stockport special college for young people with complex disabilities needs to raise £14,000 to send their students on an residential activity trip to the Lake District which could change their lives.
The cost for each Seashell Trust student to spend four days at the Bendrigg Trust, near Kendal, is £600.
It is so high because the students at the national centre of exellence in Cheadle Hulme are amongst some of the most disabled in the country with numerous conditions and little to no language.
Scott Straughan, an infrastructure delivery manager at Lloyds Banking in Wythenshawe, has already raised £1,000 for the trip after running the Great North Run in 2017, following a year of fundraising challenges he took on with his wife Justine in 2015 which raised £2,000.
Former Royal Navy man Scott, 44, from Prestbury, said: “Seashell Trust is a hugely impressive charity helping some of the most complicated learning disabilities in young people and making a real difference to their future prospects and family life
“I could not even begin to do the work they undertake but really wanted to help them; what I can do is support the fundraising and when I heard about the trip to Bendrigg Trust I thought it was a perfect opportunity as during my time in the military I did a lot of the activities that Bendrigg enables the Seashell Trust students to do.”
Facilities at Bendrigg include a floodlit challenge course, adventure course, tube slide and aerial runway. Students will also participate in activities such as wheelchair abseiling, archery, canoeing, orienteering and treasure hunts.
Wendy Bray, from Seashell Trust, said: “The majority of our students are residential to varying degrees. Some children go home every weekend, while others live with us 52 weeks a year.
“While we have excellent facilities on site and offer escorted activities locally, we also wish to broaden their life experiences and help them develop an understanding of the outside world.
“Our young people have difficulties processing information received by all their senses and it is important their education helps to develop their co-ordination, communication and sensory skills.
“They get a real sense of achievement when they find new things they are good at. Learning to cope with the change of routine and setting and embrace a challenge will help their independence.
“The activities develop communication skills with fellow students with whom they may not normally interact.”
To join Scott in giving Seashell students the opportunity for an adventure of a lifetime, contact Wendy Bray on 0161 610 0168 or wendy.bray@seashelltrust.org.uk with your own fundraising events.
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