Making a Difference Part 2

9th July 2017

So regular readers of my Blog may remember a heartfelt Blog a few months ago when I talked about making a real difference and just how good it felt. This was to do with our fundraising  focus this year thinking about MERU, a small local charity based in Epsom. At the beginning of the year the School Council, comprising of 7 children aged 5-7, visited the MERU workshop and saw firsthand the amazing Bugzi wheelchairs designed specially for young disabled children. This inspired them to organise fund raising activities with support from the whole school community.

The MERU DAY back in March was subtitled Life without Limbs and following a day of sport without legs and art without arms we completed a sponsored mile with some wheelchair guests from Tanglewood Homes to remind the children of the true meaning of disability and to encourage our new friends to join in the fun.

The Director of Tanglewood Homes is also a parent and when Mr Martin Barrett expressed an interest in our nominated charity the School Council invited him along to talk about how he could get involved.  He was so impressed with their efforts that he offered to match the total amount raised little dreaming I’m sure of the way that this small charity initiative would capture the imagination of the whole school community.  Children donated pocket money and parents donated left over ‘drinks kitty’s’ from class evening socials. We dedicated the retiring collections from school shows and performances and slowly the amount increased. With cake sales and The MERU MILE sponsorship included the final total was just under £5,562. A very generous Mr Barrett was as good as his word and on Friday we invited Mrs Sue Pressey from MERU together with Mr Barrett and local MP Chris Grayling in to school to celebrate this incredible total. The grand total handed over was £11,123.92. This will transform the lives of 5 children who will benefit from much needed Bugzi wheelchairs. Chris Grayling was delighted to meet the School Council and applauded them warmly for their extraordinary efforts at such a young age.

The thought of 5 young disabled children who have never been able to travel across a room benefitting from these beautiful green child friendly Bugzi wheelchairs was enough to send everyone home with the most enormous smile. Well done to the whole school community for making dreams come true and for making a very real difference.

Annie Thackray