EHDC grants help pay for amazing new kit at specialist school and college
The day-to-day lives of students at Treloar’s School and College in Alton are on the up thanks to three grants from East Hampshire District Council.
Treloar's is a charity that provides outstanding specialist education for physically disabled children and young people, helping them to be as independent as possible.
It relies on an array of complex and sophisticated equipment and our three grants have been put to good use paying for facilities that will help their students every day.
Our Supporting Communities Fund put more than £7,000 towards a new inclusive learning environment, a facility packed with state-of-the-art technology.
While two Alton councillors gave money from their Councillor Community Grants for day-to-day devices that will help make students’ lives much easier, including a hoist to safely manoeuvre students within their classrooms and residential areas.
Using our Supporting Communities Fund grant the council put £7,272 toward the inclusive learning environment.
The new facility will be centrally located on campus to give all students ready access and will include some amazing and inspiring equipment, such as an immersible learning room, which projects interactive images on to the walls and floor.
It will also boast a technology zone, gaming consoles, an interactive sandbox and a refreshed library.
Cllr Adeel Shah, EHDC Portfolio Holder for Community Development and Engagement, is chairman of the SCF committee. He said: “This is a fantastic facility that will help change the lives of the students here. I am proud that we have been able to play our part in supporting this project and others at Treloar’s.
“Treloar’s is a unique school and college and well-regarded as among the best in the south. It is a real asset to Alton and to East Hampshire and we should be proud to see it flourish.”
Alton Councillor Cllr Graham Hill gave the school £1,000 from his councillor community grant fund to help pay for a Neater Eater – a clever device that gives students with limited mobility the control they need at meal times.
Cllr Hill said: “Treloar’s is a fantastic school and college that does so much to help its students. The equipment they use is very specialist and can be very expensive and any help we can provide them is always welcomed.
“I was delighted to be able to give some part of my Councillor Community Grant to help pay for this brilliant bit of kit that will make a huge difference to the students’ daily lives.”
Cllr Emily Young, also from Alton, donated £910 of her Councillor Community Grant Fund towards a new hoist at the school.
Many of the young people at Treloar’s have complex physical needs and require support throughout the day and night, using hoists to safely manoeuvre students within their classrooms and learning areas.
She said: “Treloar's is currently in the process of replacing around 151 hoists. They are all in daily use and are reaching the end of their working life so it makes sense for me to be able to pass on a grant that can go towards one of these vital pieces of equipment.”
The Councillor Community Grant Scheme is a budget of £3,500 allocated to each District Councillor to support local voluntary and not for profit organisations within, or that benefit, their ward. Grants of up to £1,000 per councillor can be awarded.
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