Torquay grandparents Bill and Trisha Danks gave Shipay pupils at Queensway Catholic Primary School a gift to remember today.
The couple, both employees of Newton Abbot based housebuilder, Linden Homes re-raffled a Raleigh 21 speed Shimano bike at their staff christmas party raising £600 for the trip of a lifetime for pupils at their grandson William’s school.
Staff at Queensway Catholic Primary School have been actively supporting the charity HCPT, the Pilgrimage Trust and specifically Group 179 as an annual event.
Children with special needs in the school are nominated by Senior Teacher, Andrea Rodgers, who has links with HCPT. Each Easter the group take a trip to Lourdes in the South of France. The children and helpers enjoy a fun and laughter filled week with Masses, café stops, picnics and a fancy dress party.
Mrs Rogers explained, “We are enormously grateful to the Danks’ and their colleagues at Linden Homes for the substantial sum of money raised.
“Four children from the school have been nominated to take part in the holiday next Easter. These children have had and continue to have considerable difficulties within their family set ups and all deserve to have something positive to look forward to.
“The cost to send one child on the trip of a lifetime is £720 and the group has to raise funds for all the ten or eleven children who are nominated to go. The very dedicated voluntary helpers also have to raise their own fare to make the trip.”
A further sum of almost £320 has been raised for the charity, following collections at the Nativity and Carol concerts during December.
Staff contributions to the school from Linden Homes is in addition to the gifts distributed to Barnardo’s south west in December.
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For further information please contact Anju Sarpal, PR Manager for Linden Homes South West on 07918 907773 or email anju.sarpal@lindenhomes.co.uk
